A Little Older A Little Wiser
by Veronablendplease
Summary: Set after TDKR. Bruce Wayne did not die with Batman. John Blake is now Nightwing, Gotham's new vigilante/hero. Bruce Wayne is the Chief Operating Officer at Wayne Enterprises. Sara has her dream job as the Chief Financial Officer at Wayne Enterprises. While her career is taking off, her personal life is in shambles. Can an unexpected friendship make them whole again?
1. Chapter One

**A Little Older, a Little Wiser**

Set after TDKR. Bruce Wayne did not die with Batman. John Blake is now Nightwing, Gotham's new vigilante/hero. Bruce Wayne is the Chief Operating Officer at Wayne Enterprises.

Sara has her dream job. She is working as the Chief Financial Officer at Wayne Enterprises. While her career is taking off, her personal life is in shambles. Can an unexpected friendship make them whole again?

* The usual disclaimer - I own nothing except my OC's (and I take complete responsibility for their actions)!

**** As of 4/23/14**: I changed the rating for this story from a T to an M _just in case _there is content in later chapters that would not be suitable for younger readers. I'm not going to write porn or anything, but some things will be suggestive and for mature audiences only.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**:

"Thank you, Mr. Fox. I know I will enjoy working here," Sara smiled as she shook the hand of the Wayne Enterprises' CEO.

Lucius Fox returned the smile. "It will be a pleasure having you here, Miss West. Again, I apologize that Mr. Wayne is not here to meet you on your first day. He should be back in the office on Wednesday."

"That's perfectly fine. I'll plan to meet him Wednesday."

Sara looked around her office. She had a great view of Gotham from the 60th floor, but her favorite thing about her office was the nameplate outside her door: SARA WEST, CFO. Ever since she took her first Economics class in college, she was hooked. Her passion grew into a career working in corporate finance and economics. For over twelve years, she struggled to make her way up the ladder quickly. Her strong work ethic, along with an unusual instinct when it came to numbers, set her apart from her peers. At her former place of employment she was promoted to one of the vice president positions that turned into the springboard she needed to be considered for the newly opened CFO position at Wayne Enterprises. She always admired Thomas Wayne and his vision for Gotham, and she hoped she could help make his vision a reality.

After leaving the office she went to her apartment to start dinner. Her boyfriend, Brian, would be coming over soon and she had a special meal in mind. He had offered to take her out to dinner after her first day, but she really wanted to celebrate with her favorite comfort food: roast beef with potatoes, carrots, and homemade biscuits. This was the recipe her grandmother used to make for her family back in Georgia where Sara grew up. The meat and vegetables had been in the slow cooker all day, so she only had to work on the biscuits. She made them the traditional way – no boxed shortcuts. After all, you can take the girl out of the South but you can't take the South out of the girl.

When Brian arrived he was still in his business suit. Brian Taylor was one of the most successful lawyers in the city. At thirty-eight he was already a partner at his firm. Coincidentally, he was also featured regularly in the "10 Most Eligible Bachelors" list along with Sara's new boss, Bruce Wayne.

Brian swept her in his arms and kissed her. "I still wish you would let me take you out to dinner tonight. But to be honest, I love your cooking." Brian was incredibly handsome – he had dark brown hair and blue, blue eyes. She could have kissed him forever, but the biscuits needed her attention. When Sara broke away from Brian to take the biscuits out of the oven, she mentioned the formal Christmas party Wayne threw for his employees every year.

"The invitations say 'plus-one'. Do you want to go with me?"

"I will go on one condition," Brian replied, "we leave right after dessert. I don't want to hang around and mingle. You know how I hate those things." Sara understood but insisted that he dance with her at least once.

"Ok, it's a deal. Now, I think we can let the roast sit for a while. I'm in the mood for celebrating another way." Brian had a devilish grin as he picked up a giggling Sara and carried her to the bedroom.

After their private celebration, Sara snuggled next to Brian and asked, "How did I get so lucky? You are handsome, intelligent, and just overall amazing. And you love me. My mind can't comprehend it."

"You are very easy to love, Sara. Sometimes I wish I could be more for you. Be here more – talk to you more, kiss you more, everything more. My job takes up so much of my time and sometimes I'm afraid that it is hurting our relationship. It's amazing that you have put up with me for so long!"

"Brian, please know that I competely understand your work situation. We have something special, and I'm not going anywhere."

Brian looked in her bright blue eyes and ran his fingers through her blond hair. "I am happy to hear that, since I feel the same way. Or else this would be a little awkward, don't you think?" Their laughter turned into a brief tickle fight which ended when Sara remembered dinner.

"Let's go eat. All of this activity has made me hungry." Brian and Sara put on some clothes and prepared the table.

After they ate they went back to bed, and fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

At Wayne Manor, Alfred found his charge sitting in his office while staring into space.

"Is everything alright, Master Bruce?"

"I'm just thinking about Wayne Enterprises. I want to be more than just a figure-head. I want to be _involved_ in the day-to-day workings of the company my father created. I think that would have pleased him."

"If I may ask, what brought you to this decision?" Alfred asked, obviously pleased.

"When I walk in that building I can't help but feel I shouldn't be there, that I don't deserve to be there – even if my name is on the door. I don't want to just sit on my trust fund while others run the show. My life needs to have some meaning again." Bruce looked tired. He was only forty, but he had the attitude of someone much older. He was injured too many times. He had pushed himself to his physical and mental limit. And he had forgotten how to hope; how to dream.

"Master Bruce, I think you are making a wise decision. Being more involved at Wayne Enterprises will give you a fresh start. You can further separate yourself from Batman and fully become the man Bruce Wayne. Being Batman was extremely hard on you. You fought not only criminals but also your own demons every night. You were exhausted, but you endured. When you let go of Batman and passed the torch to Mr. Blake, I knew you had achieved your goal: you had made peace with your past. Now you are bravely stepping out into a new life. I am very proud of you."

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said to the only man who had stood beside him all these years – like a father. "Your opinion has always meant the most to me. I guess we'll just see how this turns out. Other than W.E., I really don't have anything else out there for me. I guess it's time to really shock people and look like I actually work for a living," Bruce smiled and Alfred patted him on the back.

"You will be fine, Master Bruce. Of this, I have no doubt."

About an hour later Bruce found John Blake dressed as Nightwing waiting for Bruce in the former Bat Cave.

"Bruce, I need you to tell me what you know about Roman Sionis. I know your families had a history."

Bruce hadn't heard his name in a long time. "Roman's parents were acquaintances with my parents. They were always pushing the two of us to be friends. Not too long after my parents were murdered, Roman burned down his house. His parents were killed in the fire. As a result, he inherited his father's company, Janus Cosmetics. He didn't have the mind for business his father had and ended up almost bankrupting Janus. Ironically, I was the person he sought for help. W.E. acquired Janus and Roman regained his financial security. What is he doing in Blüdhaven"?

"It looks like he has aligned himself with the criminal underground there and now he is in Gotham. I need to know if you have heard from him lately. If he were to contact anyone in Gotham, it would be you." John sat down after helping himself to a cup of coffee.

"I wish I could help you, but I haven't been in contact with Sionis since our business together several years ago. I know his wife left him shortly after the merger, and after that he seemed to disappear." Bruce thought a second and said, "John, I would like you to keep me updated on this. This man is dangerous. There is no predicting what he will do next."

"You bet. Oh - you won't believe this, but I actually saw Gordon smile today."

"You mean he actually knows how?" Bruce quipped.

"Apparently he does, and his new attitude has really affected the department. It's easier to do our jobs without the added stress."

"I'm glad he is doing well without Batman. That makes this odd transition a little easier. Knowing you are out there eases my mind as well." Then Bruce said seriously, "I want you to know that if you ever need help, all you have to do is ask. I know the toll it takes on you. And you have a day job. You don't have the advantage of being a good-for-nothing rich guy," Bruce laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Bruce, don't worry about me. Remember that I do have help from Batgirl. And even though I hate to say it, even Catwoman can be useful for information. That is, if she doesn't want to use it for her own agenda."

Bruce didn't want to think about Selina. He should have known that she wouldn't give up a life including crime – it was like an addiction for her. Add that to the fact that she wasn't hesitant to kill. He judged her for that, but didn't she save his life by killing Bane?

"I can see that I shouldn't have mentioned her," John looked at Bruce apologetically.

"No, it's ok. Older and wiser - isn't that what they say? Anyway, be careful out there tonight."

"Ok, Bruce. I'll talk to you soon. Take care." John left the cave on his motorcycle.

Bruce said goodnight to Alfred and went up to bed. It took him a while to get to sleep. _Older and wiser – is that what I am? Older, definitely, but am I any wiser? _Bruce pondered this as he fell asleep_._

**_Thank you to A Wish on the Moon for helping me edit the first 2 chapters!_**


	2. Chapter TWO

CHAPTER TWO

On Wednesday morning, Sara woke up reluctantly, as usual. She didn't take too much time on her appearance, except for her hair. It was naturally curly, but she decided to go for a simpler look. She blow-dried her blond, lightly highlighted hair straight, put it in a low pony tail, and applied her usual light makeup. After choosing an outfit consisting of a black sweater twinset with a slim black and cream herringbone skirt and black flats, she grabbed some coffee and headed out the door.

When she walked in her office Sara immediately began to work on organizing all of the confidential passwords left by her predecessor. He actually had passwords to very sensitive files written on sticky notes!? _No wonder he was replaced_, she thought. While she was sorting through the computer files and re-assigning new passwords to each, she heard a soft knock on her door. Mr. Fox popped his head in and asked, "Do you have time for a quick meeting?"

"Sure," Sara was ready to take a break from the password prison.

Sara followed him into the conference room. As she approached the large table, she saw Bruce Wayne stand up and walk toward her. He shook her hand and said, "Miss West, I'm Bruce Wayne. Welcome to Wayne Enterprises."

"I'm happy to meet you, Mr. Wayne," Sara replied with a smile. Bruce was charmed. She put him at ease with her smile and demeanor. Even though she didn't seem to be his type, he thought Sara was a breath of fresh air.

Bruce pulled out a chair for her, and for the next hour the three of them discussed the new ventures W.E. had on the horizon, and how they needed Sara to look very closely at one of the company's financials in particular. "It's very important that we have all the information we can get on this company," Mr. Fox explained. "And we hope that your financial 'instinct' will alert us to any suspicious activity – not that we expect to find any." With that Mr. Fox closed the meeting. When Sara stood to head for her office, Lucuis looked at Bruce and said, "What do you think?"

Bruce didn't hesitate to reply. "She is obviously intelligent and more than qualified for this job. I think she will fit in fine."

"That's it?" questioned Lucuis.

"Yes. Did you expect something more?"

"Not really. I'm just glad you approve of our new CFO."

Both men said no more and walked back to their offices.

When Bruce got home he headed straight for his computer. He always researched new employees just in case something was missed in the hiring process. As he looked up Sara West, he saw that almost everything could be found on her resume. She was born just outside Atlanta, Georgia, she was Harvard educated, and had worked for almost all of the big investment firms. She is also one of the leaders of a music program that includes kids from all areas of Gotham. Nothing he read raised a red flag. She had no warrants out for her arrest, or convictions, or prison time - only a ticket for speeding that was five years old. _That's refreshing,_ he said, almost bitterly to himself. His ex-girlfriend Selena Kyle, a jewel thief, came to mind. All seemed fine until he found Sara's picture in the society pages with Brian Taylor, her boyfriend of almost a year. Bruce should have guessed she was in a relationship. For some reason this made him feel a little uncomfortable. He knew he wasn't jealous because he wasn't interested in her that way, so he decided not to think anything about it. Bruce wandered into the kitchen to talk to Alfred.

"Is there anything interesting going on at Wayne Enterprises, sir?"

"We have a new CFO. Her name is Sara West."

Bruce told Alfred the little bit he knew about Sara, but Alfred was still curious. He wanted to know if Miss West interested Bruce in another way.

"Master Bruce, you didn't mention anything about her appearance or personality."

"I think Mr. Fox wanted me to say more about her as well. She is pretty and seems friendly, but I've only worked with her for an hour or so." Bruce was a little frustrated that the two men were expecting some kind of reaction from him that he couldn't give. He thought she was nice. He didn't have anything else to say.

Alfred knew when to change the subject. "I'm glad that will work out. Now, I will make you a nice cup of hot chocolate," Alfred offered.

"Alfred, I'm forty, not four." Bruce pretended to be insulted.

"Sir, I'm adding the sweetened condensed milk you like..."

"Alfred, you know my weaknesses."


	3. Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

It was the night of the Wayne employee Christmas party. Like most parties at Wayne Manor, Bruce greeted the guests as Alfred served the champagne.

"Wow. Wayne sure knows how to throw a party," Brian looked around the large penthouse. It was the epitome of a winter wonderland. There was an orchestra in the corner, a large tree near the balcony, and many tables set up for the formal dinner.

"I knew you would be glad you came. Dinner and dancing all in the Christmas spirit – what more could you ask for?" Sara looked into Brian's eyes and smiled. Brian couldn't help but melt at her smile. He was glad he was there. He was glad he was there with _her_. As she and Brian made their way through the crowd, Sara felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find Bruce Wayne with a statuesque brunette at his side. _Probably one of the many models I've heard about_, Sara thought.

"Miss West, I am glad you made it. Are you going to introduce me to your date?" Bruce looked at Brian.

"Bruce Wayne, this is Brian Taylor. Brian is a partner at the Law Firm of..," Sara began to say when Bruce interrupted, "Yes, I have heard of you and your firm Mr. Taylor. Are you enjoying the party?" Bruce asked politely.

"Yes. Sara and I were just talking about how festive everything looks."

"My butler, Alfred, planned everything himself. He has been with our family for many years and has perfected the 'Wayne style' so to speak. He is passing around the champagne at the moment. Please help yourselves. The hors d"oeuvres table is near the tree." Bruce smiled at Sara and began to mingle with the other guests.

Alfred announced the beginning of dinner, and everyone looked for their place cards at the tables. Sara knew some of the employees at her table, and settled easily into conversation. She was amused to see women's admiring eyes for her boyfriend.

"I think you are very popular at this party," she teased him.

Brian rolled his eyes and said, "I think Wayne is providing the eye-candy. You are imagining things." Brian leaned over to kiss her cheek and her neck. Now Sara really blushed. Brian knew that Sara didn't like PDA, especially at company functions, but he couldn't help himself. She was just too beautiful.

"I have a surprise for you," Sara said to Brian as she mysteriously walked away. Sara had arranged for one of the older kids in her music class to accompany her in a duet of "Let it Snow." She changed in to a white gown with a full skirt and fake fur at the neck and hem. Her partner, Christian, wore a tux with tails. The look was very Fred and Ginger. They smiled at the orchestra as it began to play. Their performance was delightful. Christian even incorporated a few dance moves that Sara didn't expect, but she followed his direction without a hitch. After they were done they received a standing ovation from the audience. Bruce stood next to Alfred as they applauded the duo.

"I think the performance was a success, Sir. It was a wonderful idea." Alfred was surprised that Bruce didn't reply. He just stood there and watched as a crowd gathered around Sara and Christian.

Brian walked over to Sara and hugged her. "You were perfect. How did you manage to keep this a secret? You obviously had to practice for this, "Brian said impressed.

"I have my ways." Sara grinned as she walked off to change into her original evening dress. On her way to one of the spare rooms Bruce stopped her to tell her how pleased he was with the performance.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne. We are honored you asked."

"I hope there is a chance that you will allow me a dance before the party is over."

"Unfortunately, Brian and I have to leave in a few minutes, so maybe another time." Sara gave him a small smile and walked off to change her dress. As she changed she couldn't help thinking about the short conversation she just had with Bruce Wayne. _What was that look in Bruce's eyes? Wasn't his Amazon-like date still around?_

When Sara came back, Brian helped her with her coat and took her arm. After thanking their host and Alfred, they walked out to his car.

Brian went with Sara up to her apartment. Once inside, his expression became serious. "What did Wayne say to you when you were going off to change?"

Sara replied, "Oh, he was just complementing me on the song." Brian didn't seem completely satisfied with that answer, but he let it go.

"I'm sorry I can't stay tonight, but I have an early flight to Seattle tomorrow."

Sara was disappointed but not surprised. "When is this lawsuit going to end?"

Brian looked frustrated. "I have no idea. The client is being obstinate and we can't seem to make any headway. But look on the bright side – I am accruing a zillion frequent flier miles. We can go on a very nice vacation. That is, if you decide to take some time off. W.E. won't fold if you are gone for a week or two."

Sara put her hands on her hips. "Hey - you work just as hard as I do. You have been in Seattle almost every other weekend in the last few months. Isn't the pot calling the kettle black?"

Brian laughed. "You're right. One of these days we'll manage to get on the same schedule, I promise."

Sara put her arms around Brian's neck as they kissed deeply.

"I love you so much Brian. Maybe that vacation can happen soon."

Brian smiled and kissed her again. "I love you, too. I'll see you when I get back."

Sara sighed as she looked around her apartment. When she got the job at W.E., she decided to move from her tiny one-bedroom apartment to a luxury apartment one block from Wayne Tower. She still wasn't used to the size, and her furniture looked awkward in so big a space. Deciding to think about it later, Sara changed into her pajamas and went directly to bed. Her last thoughts before going to sleep were of her kissing Brian. _We've been dating a long time_ \- _I wonder if he is going to propose sometime soon. We obviously love each other and he is also my best friend. I hope he does propose. Or maybe I'm tired and need to go to sleep before I start thinking about more crazy things._


	4. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

Sara had a huge workload that she needed to finish before she left the office that day. She ate lunch at her desk and was still working in her office at 8:00 p.m. Bruce scared her when he stepped in to her office to say hello.

"For Pete's sake! You almost gave me a heart attack! "Sara exclaimed. Bruce couldn't help noticing the cute southern accent that came out when she was flustered.

"Mr. Wayne, I am so sorry I yelled at you. I have had my head in these numbers all day, and I'm in my workaholic world. How can I help you?"

"I'm sorry I startled you. I actually wasn't expecting to see you here this late."

Sara looked at the time. "It's after eight? You've got to be kidding me," Sara said with a yawn.

Bruce wanted some information on the possible deal they had discussed earlier. "I sent you an e-mail requesting your findings on a certain company's financials. Hopefully there are no problems."

"Yes, Mr. Wayne, I received that e-mail and replied to you and Mr. Fox with the information. I also explained how I would get confidential information to you both starting today. I have set up a straight electronic transfer that bypasses e-mail and deposits information in a password-protected file that only you, Mr. Fox, and I can get access to. I will be sending all financial information this way. You only need to open My Documents and look for the file named GFIAM. Click on it and enter your password. Here it is on this card. Please memorize it."

"Is there significance to the letters in the file name?" Bruce asked looking at the odd group of uppercase letters.

"No, I randomly select them. But there will always be five capitalized letters."

Looking again at her watch, Sara said," I think I better get home if I want to get more un-packing done tonight."

"Do you need a ride?" Bruce knew she only lived about a block away, but he enjoyed talking to her and he wanted a little more time.

"Oh – no, it's fine. I live only a block away. I can walk home. Thank you for offering," Sara said as she slipped on her jacket and gathered her files.

Bruce walked with Sara to the elevators. When they reached the lobby, they each walked outside and said goodnight.

All of a sudden Sara heard him call her name.

"Miss West!" called Bruce as he walked quickly to catch up with her.

"Did I forget something, Mr. Wayne?"

"No, but I meant to ask you if you drink coffee. There is a place across the street that is pretty good. I usually go in the mornings, and I would be happy to pick you up something if you like. Well, actually Alfred is the one to go in," Bruce smiled shyly.

"I happen to love coffee! That's very nice of you. I'll see you tomorrow - thanks again! " Sara was off at a quick pace towards her apartment. Bruce just stood there for a moment and watched Sara walk away. Maybe he would bring her a pastry, too.


	5. Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

"Good morning, "Bruce greeted Sara as they walked to the elevators.

"I believe this is for you, "Bruce smiled and handed the coffee to Sara along with a small bag.

"Oh, thank you. What's in the bag? A cinnamon scone! You didn't have to…"Sara grinned at her boss.

"I know, but I thought you might be hungry. Speaking of that, would you be free for lunch today?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm having lunch with Brian today before my flight to Atlanta. It will be a quick meal because he has to catch a flight to California tonight. He is spending Christmas with his family."

"And you're not going with him?" Bruce was a little surprised.

"No, my brother is in Atlanta and I haven't seen him in ages. He is a pediatric specialist and tends to work through the holidays. This year he has a few days off to spend with me and our dad. What are your plans?"

"I'll be here with Alfred, like usual. He likes to put up a big tree and decorate the whole house. My parents always did that for me, so I think he wants to keep those memories alive."

"That's really sweet. Oh – I spoke to Mr. Fox earlier and he told me what the employees of Wayne Enterprises are getting for Christmas this year: an extra week off with pay!?" Sara was incredulous. "In the past the most generous gift I received was a small bonus and a gift certificate for a ham," Sara laughed at the memory.

"Well, I can still get you a ham if you want one," Bruce smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

"No thank you, I'd rather have the paid vacation days. Oh, the time - I need to prepare for my presentation in a few minutes. I'll see you at the meeting." Sara walked off at her usual quick pace to her office.

Mr. Fox had called a meeting about the merger, and asked Sara to present her findings on her financial overview.

"As I understand this, we are trying to acquire this company in order to have access to specific technology they are developing. Unfortunately this company has some unexplained losses during the last year. I like to refer to it as a 'slow-drip' loss. You won't find large losses or expenditures anywhere on the books, but if you look closely enough you will see a tiny loss here and then a couple of weeks later comes another one, and so on. I spoke with their head of finance. He confessed to me that there is speculation involving their CEO in regards to the lost funds. Some of the lost revenue has been linked with payoffs to other companies that deal directly with militaries that are hostile toward the United States. This deal was organized as 'rescue financing' in order for them to get rid of some debt by selling their technology to us for their profit and our technical growth. Seeing the implications this deal would cause, and I'm talking about a possible international incident, I recommend that we back out and cancel the deal now."

The room became loud with everyone voicing their confusion and concerns.

Mr. Fox stood up and thanked Sara for her presentation. He then acknowledged the concerns of a few of the board members and assured them that they would be addressed after the holidays.

After almost everyone had left the boardroom, Sara stayed and organized her files.

Mr. Fox sat down next to her. "You managed to make quite an impression on the Board, Miss West. Mr. Wayne and I looked at the same numbers you did. We were hoping you would be as concerned as we are. We aren't exactly hard up for money. These mergers are mostly for the other party's benefit. I think your recommendation is sound, and we will officially have a meeting with the board to make it final after the holidays." Mr. Fox smiled and said, "Now, I believe you need to catch a plane. You deserve the time off. In fact, you probably deserve more. I can't remember the last time Mr. Wayne stayed awake through an entire meeting. Well done, Miss West."

Bruce approached Sara after Mr. Fox left. "I agree with Mr. Fox. That was quite impressive. Don't worry about the reaction from the board. You did your job and you confidently stated your opinion. We have needed someone like you in this position for awhile. Good job."

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne. I don't beat around the bush. I am used to people taking issue with my suggestions, but in their defense, I think everyone was blind sighted by this. And, anyway - I'm not here to make everyone happy. I just do what I'm paid to do – save you money." With that Sara smiled brightly and made a motion to leave the room.

Surprising himself, Bruce all of a sudden wanted to reach out and give her a hug. He thought_ where is this coming from?_ Instead, he just managed a smile and a "Merry Christmas" and walked away.


	6. Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

When Sara arrived in Atlanta she was met by her brother, Ryan, at baggage claim. Ryan was taller than Sara, but they shared the same blond hair and blue eyes.

"Hi! I missed you! We have some catching up to do," Sara said as they gave each other a big, welcoming hug. Sara and Ryan had always been close. They were only eighteen months apart so they usually hung out together and had the same friends all through school. They also formed a tight bond during the years their mother's drinking became more and more out of control. They needed each other to survive the verbal and physical abuse they suffered on a daily basis.

"Let's get you home. Dad is excited to see you, and we have to have one our marathon talks. This time you can pick the movie we will probably ignore. "Ryan and Sara laughed at this. It was true every time.

Sara told Ryan all about her new job, and her hopes for her relationship with Brian. Ryan was never a fan of her boyfriend. Brian seemed a little too cocky for his taste.

"So you work for Bruce Wayne now. Is there a story there?" Ryan didn't trust Bruce Wayne, either. He never met him, but the man's reputation spoke for itself.

"Of course not - I am dating Brian. Besides, I don't think I am Mr. Wayne's type."

"That's true – you are, after all, a complete and total nerd, "Ryan said hoping to get a rise out of his sister.

"For your information I have accepted and owned who I am. Geek Pride! What is your excuse? Have you been seeing anyone? I doubt you are. No one wants to buy a ticket to your freak show," Sara cracked up.

"You obviously don't know everything – to your surprise, I'm sure. There were a couple of girls I was dating, but I had a hard time staying interested."

Sara replied in her smart-ass fashion, "Hmm...We are going to have to discuss that in more detail after dinner. I'm sure I can figure out what you're doing wrong." With that, Ryan lightly punched her on the arm and gave her a warning look. Both of them knew he was faking, but he always did it, and she always pretended to be scared.


	7. Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

When Sara arrived at home after the holidays, she saw that she had a message from Brian to call when she got back.

"Hey!" Sara said after hearing his voice.

"Hi Sara, I'm glad you're home safe. Would you mind if I came over?" Brian seemed a little nervous. Maybe he was going to do what she hoped – propose.

"Sure, come by anytime. I'm just unpacking and doing laundry."

"Ok, I'll be over in a few minutes." Brian then hung up the phone.

Sara immediately thought to herself_: I can't believe it_ \- _I think he is going to do it. Maybe I'll jump in the shower quick. If he does propose, I'll need to look my best._

Brian arrived 20 minutes later. Sara had just finished drying her hair and putting on makeup. She thought she should dress casually, like she wasn't expecting anything.

"Hi – I missed you," Sara grabbed him and gave him a long, suggestive kiss.

"I missed you, too," Brian hadn't responded to the kiss the way he usually did. "Sara, we need to have a talk." Sara was confused. He didn't seem like he was going to propose. Instead he looked a little sad. Sara asked herself, _I wonder what happened._

Brian took Sara's hand. "Let's sit down."

Sara sat there stone-faced. She had a gut feeling about what was coming.

"Sara, I have something to tell you, and I ask that you don't interrupt me so I can get this entire thing out. I'm not sure I can get this out, anyway," Brian now had tears in his eyes and was trying to keep his voice from cracking.

"You know I have gone to Seattle most weekends due to this lawsuit. One day we had the afternoon off so I decided to go site-seeing. While I was walking around I ran into my ex-girlfriend, Jen. After some awkward small talk we started to get more comfortable and we ended up talking for the rest of the day. We both felt the attraction that still existed between us. I've seen her every time I've been to Seattle. In fact one weekend I didn't need to be there for the lawsuit. I went there to be with Jen.

This Christmas when I was with my family I left and spent a couple of days with Jen." Brian was really struggling with his voice now. "During that time she told me she was pregnant. It is my child. We talked and we decided we still want to be together and raise a family. In a couple of weeks I will be moving to Seattle. I love you so much Sara. Part of me can't believe this is happening." Brian had tears rolling down his cheeks. Sara knew he loved her deeply, but he had made a choice.

Sara still did not move. "_raise a family_" played over and over in her mind along with possible things to say like: _I thought you loved me_, or _you are such an asshole_, or _I was hoping you would propose to me_:all clichés and all useless. She honestly didn't expect this and had no idea how to respond. The one thing she did know was that Brian had to clear everything out of her apartment – anything that would remind her of him. Thankfully the Christmas season had just passed and she had plenty of empty shopping bags. She handed them to Brian with instructions to "fill them up."And she meant everything: clothing (even if it meant taking wet clothes out of the washer), all toiletries, and any gifts he gave her in the last three months (she knew damn well that he was giving gifts to someone else, too). They bought a nice sofa together, and she wanted it out of her apartment along with his desk. When he finally finished he called some movers to get the sofa and desk. Sara asked him to give his key back. She didn't trust him not to "stop by" to talk more about this (mainly to make himself feel better).When Sara had his key she planned to have the locks changed.

Before Brian left, he wanted her to say something. She had thought all the time while she sat quietly and just listened. Now she was fairly certain of what she had to say.

"Brian, I woke up this morning in love with you. I have loved you for almost a year. I still love you, and that isn't going to change anytime soon. This is why you must not call me, visit me, e-mail me, text me, or contact me in any way. Starting this moment I am working on getting over you. And it will happen. Now please leave. When the guys come to get the furniture I will make sure they contact you immediately. Whatever you do now don't say a word. Just go."

After Brian left Sara ran to the bathroom and threw up. Then she started to cry. There was only one person she wanted to talk to.

"Hello?"

"Ryan, it's me," Sara said in a hoarse voice.

"SHIT." Ryan knew exactly what had happened. She gave him all the gory details until she was exhausted.

"We'll get through this, Sara. Try to get some rest." Ryan felt so helpless because he couldn't take his sister's pain away. He was also angry – but he didn't want Sara to see that.

Sara cried on her bed until she fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

**I'm not sure that I made it clear that Jen is Brian's ex-girlfriend. That doesn't make it any better, but it explains how they know each other.


	8. Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

New Years Eve was the next day. Bruce called Sara to ask if she planned to attend his party. Sara politely declined while vaguely referring to other plans for the evening. The truth was that she planned to sit home alone. She didn't want to be with anyone, and her friends respected her wishes. Even Allison backed off after trying to convince her to go out dancing. There was no way she would tell Bruce the truth. Not now, anyway.

The New Year's Eve party at Wayne Manor was the event of the year. However, Bruce was having a hard time finding a date. All the twenty something year-old women he dated in the past were now in their thirties and wanted to settle down and start families. He called most of the women, and they were either engaged, married, or in a serious relationship. After a while he just gave up. While these women wanted to go out with him in the past, they still thought of him as a playboy – some guy who couldn't be taken seriously. He was definitely not husband or father material in their opinions. Sure, there was a fresh crop of twenty year-olds who wouldn't mind being seen with him, but the mere thought of having to endure their company exhausted him. He could live the rest of his life without hearing anyone call him "Brucie" again. And he just found out Sara wouldn't be there. It was going to be a long night.

The party had been going on for hours, and Bruce was slowly drinking himself into oblivion. Alfred kept an eye on him to make sure he didn't say – or do – anything inappropriate. Soon Alfred began to notice Bruce talking louder, laughing at everything, and dancing too close to women who were obviously uncomfortable. Right before midnight Alfred managed to move Bruce away from the crowd while he still maintained a modicum of dignity. By the time the guests were gone Bruce was out cold in his bed.

Sara, who didn't drink due to her childhood experience, was still up long after midnight. She had tried to keep herself busy. She watched a movie, read a book, re-organized the kitchen, re-organized it again, and finally just stood at one of her windows that overlooked the Gotham skyline. She watched as the fireworks died away and the city began to calm down. She was surprised to see the sunrise. _I've been standing here that long? Well, I'm definitely not the only person in this city just going to bed,_ she thought as she succumbed to sleep.


	9. Chapter Nine

*** So sorry for the short chapter. I'll try to make it up to you :)

Chapter Nine

The holidays were over, and Sara was all too ready to get back to work. Bruce knocked on her office door with her usual coffee order.

"Oh – thank you - I completely forgot about my personal coffee service." Sara gave him an appreciative smile.

"I would have included something extra, but the pastry selection was fairly sparse by the time we arrived. How was your New Year?" Bruce looked quickly at her left hand. He was surprised at his relief when he didn't see an engagement ring on her finger_. _

"It was fine, "Sara said while looking at her computer. "I never considered New Years a real holiday. I mean, it's just like any other day except people use it as an excuse to get bombed, I guess."

"Unfortunately, I am in no position to judge those who chose to imbibe a little too much during the festivities." Bruce wore a guilty semi-smile on his face. "To tell you the truth, I'm glad you and Brian missed it. It was not my finest hour."

Sara felt a new wave of pain course through her at the mention of Brian's name.

"I didn't see the tabloids today – are you front and center?" Sara asked with a little laugh.

"Of course; I don't think they would even have a magazine if I wasn't constantly providing sensational stories."

"Who knows? Maybe one day you will disappoint them and they will have to declare bankruptcy." Sara forced herself to joke.

"Or I could buy them…"

"Don't even think about it," Sara said with a fake warning look.

"I won't mention it again. I'll see you at the meeting."

Sara was relieved that she didn't have to pay full attention to this meeting. After all, she was the one who had created the agenda, and Mr. Fox was doing all of the talking. She spoke up when needed, but otherwise zoned out. The only thing that kept her amused was kicking Bruce under the table when he started to fall asleep. Once, when no one was looking, she managed to get a piece of ice from her water glass and throw it perfectly across the table so it landed on Bruce's collar and slid down his shirt. He jumped.

"Sorry, everyone – I must have had a muscle spasm," he said after calming down. Then he looked at Sara who wore the look of angelic innocence on her face. _I'm so glad I amuse her_. From now on he would make sure to not sit across from her at meetings.

After the meeting Bruce followed Sara to her desk. She was completely ignoring him. Her moods were on auto-pilot. At the moment she didn't feel like joking; she felt like a bitch.

"So, did you have fun at the meeting?" Bruce asked with a smirk.

"Not really. If you hadn't provided a tiny bit of entertainment I probably would have ran out screaming." Sara was trying to sound dismissive so he would leave. She was afraid she might say something rude to him.

"While I am glad you didn't have to make a run for it, I wish it wasn't at my expense," Bruce said trying not to laugh.

"I would apologize, but it was just too funny. Anyway, I've got a lot of work to do so I'll see you later."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"OK – I'll see you later." Bruce headed to Mr. Fox's office.


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Bruce walked into Fox's office and took a seat.

"Have you noticed that Sara doesn't seem like herself today?"

"I think I can explain."Mr. Fox replied. "Sara came to see me first thing this morning. She wanted to tell me about something before it hit the tabloids tomorrow morning. Mr. Taylor ended his relationship with Miss West before New Years. She knows Brian is well-known in Gotham, so she is a little concerned it might get some press."

Bruce was stunned. "What? Brian broke up with her? You're kidding."

"I wish I was kidding. Apparently, Mr. Taylor re-connected with an ex-girlfriend and they are getting married. Also, the girlfriend is pregnant with his child."

Bruce was speechless at first. But it didn't take long for him to find his voice again in a barrage of profanity aimed at Mr. Brian Taylor.

"That son-of-a-bitch - I can't believe anyone would do this to Sara."

Mr. Fox waited until Bruce calmed down. "I think we just need to keep her from being bothered during work hours, but let her live her life as she wishes after work. We don't want to make her feel like she has to be watched or protected all the time. This man is not a danger to her. She should be free to deal with this personal issue as she sees fit. If she needs help I'm sure she will ask."

Later that evening, Bruce related the whole story to Alfred. Unfortunately, none of his anger had dissipated.

"Master Bruce, do you think you may be taking this matter a little too personally?"

"No, I don't. She is a valuable employee and a very nice person. I don't see anything wrong with being a little indignant on her behalf."

"Sir, if you don't mind me saying, I think your reaction would be more appropriate if you had feelings for Miss West beyond that of her employer. I believe you have stated that she is 'not your type' on more than one occasion."

"Alfred, I don't think I need to be in love with her to see that she has been poorly used by this man. Like I said, she is a special person and she doesn't deserve this." Bruce went upstairs to his room after deciding to skip dinner.

As Bruce sat on his bed, trying to read, he kept thinking that maybe he should call Sara. But what would he give as a reason? He technically wasn't supposed to know about her situation until the next day, and he wouldn't dream of making her more upset. Bruce decided it was too risky. He would see how everything played out in the morning.

* * *

Bruce got another visit from John Blake, a.k.a Nightwing, but this time he was dressed in street clothes.

"Don't tell me – Silas is causing more trouble."

"We have a tip that there is a drug exchange happening soon. Funny thing, it's not supposed to be at the docks or the old warehouses that are all over the Narrows." John was frustrated and a little angry at himself. "I am a detective for the Gotham P.D. and I cannot figure this out."

"What kind of drugs are we dealing with?" Bruce began to type information into his computer.

John began to pace. "The drugs are mostly available by prescription only. The main drug is promethazine with codeine. It is a very effective cough medicine when used properly. When you mix it with alcohol, you have a dangerous narcotic. Kids are not only using this with alcohol, but they are adding pot or other drugs to the mix. It doesn't take a criminal like Silas to get these drugs - anyone with the motivation and the cash can get them. He and his people are targeting the kids of Gotham. We need to find the distribution points for these drugs." John stopped pacing and stood still with his hands on his hips.

"My first guess is the dealers are in the schools. But the schools have been monitored with maximum security for years – the good schools as well as the bad ones. It has to be somewhere where it wouldn't be unusual for the kids from both sides of the tracks to be seen together." Suddenly Bruce stood up. "The Train. It goes to the narrows, through the city, and then to a station less than a mile from the Palisades and back again. My father designed the train to provide inexpensive public transportation for all of Gotham's citizens in order for all socio-economic classes to be together."

"I think you're on to something. I see kids take the train all the time – going to concerts, the newest hangouts, or, I suspect, to piss off their parents. In fact, all public transportation is suspect." John headed toward his motorcycle to get back to GPD headquarters.

"Thanks, Bruce. I'm going to see that we put more plain clothes officers on the train, the stations, and the bus stops."

"I'm glad I could help. Of course, I could be wrong and be sending you on a wild goose chase, "Bruce yelled after him.

"I doubt it. The worst case scenario is that we come away with more information!" John yelled as he sped out of the Batcave.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

The next morning Sara woke up with her eyes swollen from crying. She had a new appreciation for antihistamines and eye drops. She needed to pull it together today. Today was d-day. The tabloids, the press, and worse, her co-workers, would know all about the most painful part of her life. And they were going to love talking about it.

As Sara got ready for work, she put extra effort into her appearance. _If people are going to be staring at me all day I might as well look good._

Sara walked out of her apartment building and was relieved she didn't see any press. It turned out the press preferred to congregate outside Wayne Enterprises. She continued to keep her head up and walk into the building as quickly as she could. Sara breathed a sigh of relief when they didn't follow her inside. She looked up at the new receptionist and said, "Good morning" with as much of a smile as she could muster. When she stepped in the elevator she was glad to have a moment to herself before she faced her co-workers.

"Good morning," Sara said to her secretary as she reached the door to her office. "I'm sorry, but it might be a little crazy today with the phones. Feel free to hang up on anyone you want. I don't want to talk to them either," Sara said with a wink before shutting herself off in her office. _Well, I managed to live through the last twenty minutes – maybe I can make it until lunch. _ Sara's phone rang almost right away. She looked at the caller I.D. and saw that it was Mr. Wayne. _Here we go._

"Good morning, Mr. Wayne. How can I help you?" Sara was going to sound professional if it killed her.

"Good morning, Miss West. If it's a good time I would like to stop by your office for a minute." Bruce hoped he sounded like normal. He didn't want to give the impression that he was concerned about her.

"Sure – now is fine." Sara hung up and dreaded the look she might see in his eyes. Pity. She didn't want pity.

The first thing she saw when her door opened was not one, but two, extra large coffees. And, apparently, they were both for her.

"These are for you. I happen to be very familiar with mornings like this – you need coffee - a lot of coffee." Bruce grinned. He was hoping to cheer her up – if only for a moment.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wayne. I do need this."

And then there was silence.

Bruce wasn't sure what to say. He knew what she was going through. She was trying to see her way through a personal hell. And if that wasn't bad enough, she was also in the media spotlight. He decided to give her plenty of space.

"Um, Mr. Fox won't be in today, so just let me know if something needs to be signed or whatever…" Bruce mumbled as he left her office. _I hope I don't continue to act like a dumb-ass for the rest of the week. _

Sara was glad he left when he did. She sat back in her chair and let a few tears escape. She had to give in to her feelings for just a second. She didn't want her emotions to build up to where she sobbing like a lunatic. That would make for a good show.

Bruce didn't see Sara for the rest of the morning. Around one o-clock he got an e-mail from her telling him that she was leaving for the day. He didn't respond. He doubted she wanted him to.

* * *

It was finally Friday. Thankfully, the rest of the week became less of a zoo as each day passed.

When Sara walked in to her apartment that evening, the first thing that caught her eye was a huge bouquet of several dozen roses. _I can't believe Brian did this. Is he trying to make this worse? _Sara felt her stomach turn as she lifted the note. She couldn't believe it. The note read: "I hope these brighten your weekend. I'm here if you need to talk." It was simply signed, "Bruce."

_No – he is her boss. Why is he sending her flowers? _Sara thought to herself. _I didn't expect him to do something so nice... _Sara's thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell.

"Hey! – what a great surprise!" Sara was glad to see her best friend.

"I missed you! Do you really think I'm going to let you turn into a hermit because of some asshole?" Allison said as she reached out to hug her friend.

"I've been a little MIA, haven't I?"

"I knew if I called first you would probably say you wanted to go to bed early or something. So I decided to show up with a pizza and a ready shoulder. You don't have to talk, but you have to eat. Come on, we'll find something really stupid on TV." Allison began to walk to the kitchen but abruptly stopped in her tracks.

"Whoa! Those are a lot of roses! Don't tell me Brian sent them."

"You'll never guess. My boss sent them."

"Are you kidding? Mr. Sexy Billionaire sent you roses?! Hmm…this is very interesting," Allison looked at Sara with an evil smile. Allison read the note attached. "He is definitely interested."

Sara was surprised at what her friend just said. "Have you lost your mind? He is my boss. I am not interested in him or anyone else." Sara paused as it hit her. "I try not to think of Brian, but little things will set off the pain and …" As she said this Sara broke down in sobs and sunk to the floor. Allison hurried over to her and put her arms around her best friend. They sat there for what seemed like forever before Allison got Sara her up on her feet and onto the new sofa.

"OK – I'm putting an embargo on tears. Here is some pizza, a coke, and a really trashy TV show."

Sara wiped away tears and smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Al. I really needed this. I'm sorry I've kept you at arm's length." Sara looked at the TV. "Man, this show does suck. Good choice!" They both cracked up and began to devour the pizza.

* * *

The next day Sara decided to send an e-mail to Mr. Wayne instead of calling. As she hit 'send' she hoped that she didn't sound too … too…however she didn't want to sound._ What's done is done_, she thought. As she was about to shut down her computer she saw a message arrive in her inbox. She was a little nervous to open it, but was too curious not to. The e-mail was from Bruce. He wrote, "I 'm glad you liked the flowers. I was a little nervous about sending them. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I'll see you Monday, Bruce."

Bruce kept re-reading Sara's e-mail. She liked the flowers. He couldn't stop smiling.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

A month passed and Sara was slowly coming back to life. She wasn't crying as much, and she could smile without forcing it.

Sara walked to Mr. Wayne's office and didn't see his secretary, so she knocked on his door.

"Come in!" Sara heard her boss call out. When she walked in she saw a police officer sitting in his office.

"Good morning, Miss West. How can I help you?"

"I was unable to send you the reports you wanted this morning, so I decided to come by and hand you the hard copies. I think there is a server problem – the network guys are working on it."

"Thank you. Oh – I'm sorry – I haven't introduced you to my friend John Blake. He is with the GCPD. John, this is Sara West." John Blake stood up and shook Sara's hand. "It is nice to meet you. Bruce mentioned he hired a new CFO. I hear you are a financial genius," Blake said with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes.

"It is nice to meet you, too. However, I think 'genius' is way too strong a word." Sara smiled back.

Sara asked Mr. Wayne if he needed anything else, and then went back to her office.

John looked at Bruce but didn't say anything.

"What?" Bruce didn't understand that his friend thought he was an idiot.

"I think you left out a few details when you first told me about her. For instance, you left out the part about her being HOT! Seriously hot. When are you going to make your move?"

Bruce frowned and replied, "I'm not. She's not my type and I know I'm not hers."

John couldn't believe his ears. "Are you kidding? What about her isn't your type? You don't like beautiful, intelligent women with blond hair, blue eyes, legs for days, and an incredible smile? You're probably right. Who in their right mind would be attracted to her?"

"Very funny, John - it's not like I don't notice all those things. I just can't see us together."

"Well, if you aren't planning on asking her out, is it ok if I do?" John just wanted to see Bruce's reaction.

"No! I mean, she is just getting over a bad break-up. I don't think she's ready to date."

John tried not to smile at his friend's reply. He knew Bruce was slowly falling for Sara. He certainly didn't want to get in the way.

"You're right. It was just a thought. I've got to get going but I'll catch up with you later."

After John left, Bruce began thinking about Sara. Could she be ready to date?

* * *

When Mr. Fox came back to the office the next day, he wanted to have a lunch meeting with Bruce and Sara.

"We need to catch up on a few things, and my schedule is full today. I thought lunch would be a good time," Lucius explained. "How about 11:30? We can go to the new place a few blocks away. I'll drive."

After the three of them were seated at their table, Mr. Fox asked questions about the feasibility of making some renovations to the building. He thought things were looking a little shabby.

"I think we can definitely do it," Sara said thoughtfully."In fact, I have several suggestions I would like to contribute. I will make a draft of the changes we would like to make, and then we can meet to go over each item by item. We also need to make sure that company business won't be affected by the renovations." Sara was never more serious than when she was talking about the company's finances. She was in her element – not a penny got by her.

The two men agreed that everything should go smoothly with Sara taking control of the project.

"I apologize but I need to get to a meeting," Lucius said hurriedly. But please stay and finish your lunches." Lucius was out the door in five seconds.

"Well, we are finally having lunch together." Bruce sounded amused.

"We are only seated at this table alone because Mr. Fox had to leave. This was not a planned lunch. It is simply the result of an unforeseen circumstance," Sara grinned, refusing to give Bruce the satisfaction.

"The lady doth protest too much...," Bruce said smugly.

Sara just gave Bruce a dirty look and took a mouthful of salad so she couldn't say anything else that could get her in trouble.

"I should tell you that Alfred is getting a little impatient to meet you. He has instructed me to invite you over for dinner this Saturday. Would you like to join us?"

"I would love to meet Alfred! I will be happy to come." Sara knew she had nothing planned for Saturday and thought it might be interesting to know more about her boss. _I hope Alfred thoroughly embarrasses Mr. Wayne by telling me stories from his childhood – blackmail material is priceless!_

"Great! I will pick you up at 7:00."

"Wait, if you pick me up than it seems like a date, and I am not dating. Thank you but I will drive myself."

"You have to be the most stubborn person I have ever known," Bruce said sounding faintly annoyed. "I just want to do you a simple favor. It doesn't have to change your current life view."

"My view of life is none of your business. However, you may pick me up at 7:00."

Bruce smiled to himself as he and Sara left the restaurant. He had to admit to himself that he was really starting to like her. Saturday would be interesting.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER 13

Sara had no idea of what she should wear to dinner at Wayne Manor. She assumed the evening would be casual, but she decided to wear a dress anyway. It was just a simple shift dress that she had worn to work many times.

At 7:00 on the dot Bruce rang Sara's doorbell. For a second Sara felt excited – until she realized that this was not a date. She opened the door and was relieved to see Bruce in casual pants and a jacket.

"You look lovely," Bruce said as he kept himself from letting his eyes wander over her. He was just going to be friendly, just to be safe.

"Thank you. You look nice, too."

"Shall we go? Alfred will not be happy if the dinner gets cold." Bruce opened the door of his Porsche for her. She thought: _Every time I see him he is driving a different car. Maybe I'll ask for a tour of the garage._

After a wonderful dinner of homemade pasta and freshly baked bread, Bruce gave Sara the quick version of the normal tour. He didn't think taking her upstairs would send the correct message. However, when Sara walked in the library it was clear that she wasn't interested in going anywhere else. She stood in front of each bookcase as if memorizing every title.

"You have some first and second editions. More second, but I'm beyond impressed nonetheless. Oh my goodness – I can't believe this. You have a second edition of Jane Eyre. I think I might faint."

"Would you like to take a look at it? It was my mother's favorite book." Bruce took the book from the bookcase and handed it to Sara.

Sara couldn't take it at first. "It's too valuable. I am afraid I'll damage it somehow."

Bruce took her hand and placed the book in it. Sara smiled at Bruce with a look of wonder. She couldn't believe she was holding this book. Sara walked over to a couch and sat down. She carefully opened the book and read the bookplate on the inside cover: This Book is the Property of Martha Wayne.

As Sara was carefully turning the pages of the novel, Bruce was looking at her intensely. _She is amazing. John is right - I've been missing what was right in front of me the whole time. _

Sara looked at the time and was surprised at how late it was. She carefully placed the book on the table in front of her. When she stood up she found herself face to face with Bruce. They were standing very close to each other. Sara held her breath as she tried to think of a graceful way to get out of the awkward position. Before she knew it Bruce's lips were on hers. It was a very soft, tentative kiss.

Bruce realized she wasn't kissing him back. Instead, Sara stepped away and silently walked out of the room. Bruce walked after her.

"Sara…" Bruce tried to think of something to say. "I shouldn't have done that." Bruce was concerned when Sara wouldn't reply. He thought, _Bad timing, Bruce, bad timing. _But he couldn't stop himself. Every time he looked at her he wanted desperately to hold her, to kiss her._ Who knows what she thinks of me now?_

"Mr. Wayne, would you mind taking me home now?"

Bruce grabbed his keys and they walked to his car. This time she opened her door before he had a chance. The ride was completely silent. When he stopped the car in front of her apartment building, Sara stepped out and quickly went inside. For several minutes Bruce sat in the car looking at the entrance to the building. He wanted to go after her, but he knew better. He just hoped he wouldn't find her resignation letter on his desk Monday morning.

* * *

When Sara walked in her apartment, she immediately went to the couch and sat down. Her mind was racing – _he kissed me. My boss kissed me. Bruce Wayne kissed me. And I just stood there mute and walked away. He thinks I'm mad at him. He probably thinks I'll quit._

There was no way she would quit. She cared about the company too much. She wanted to stay there. Would he let her?

When Sara went to bed that night she had made a decision. She needed to get away and clear her head. A vacation in Europe – maybe France. She would tell her boss tomorrow.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14

Bruce arrived at work early. He wanted to get ahead of the day, and more importantly, ahead of Sara.

About twenty minutes after Bruce sat down at his desk his secretary buzzed in to say that Miss West was here to see him. He mentally prepared himself for anything.

"Thank you. Please send her in."

Sara walked into Bruce's office looking more attractive than usual. Bruce noticed that her hair was down in curls, and her dress flattered every inch of her.

Bruce stood up when she came in.

"Good morning, Miss West. How are you?"

"I'm fine Mr. Wayne. I'm here to drop this off." Sara had an air of confidence about her. Bruce didn't know if this was good or bad.

Sara handed Bruce the envelope and turned and left his office.

_Oh, great_, Bruce thought. _This is it – she's leaving_. Bruce slowly opened the envelope. Instead of a letter of resignation, he found a vacation request form. Sara requested to take off the first two weeks in May. _It's only March_, Bruce thought. _I'll take this as good news. She doesn't feel the need to run away from me anytime soon._

Sara was starting her day when Bruce called.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne, may I help you?"

"Yes, Miss West. I would like to take you to dinner tonight if you don't have plans. I would like to discuss some things in order to 'clear the air' so to speak." Bruce was so nervous he was sweating.

"I don't have plans, and I would be happy to have dinner with you."

Bruce almost replied, "Really?" He didn't expect her to accept.

"Great! I mean, I think this will put both of us at ease."

"What time?" Sara was looking forward to what he had to say. _He will probably bring up the kiss, and I will have to explain why I walked away without speaking._ _I will have to prepare myself by considering all of the possibilities_. _I need to keep my wits about me around this man._

"How about 7:30?"

"I'll see you then." Sara hung up the phone and quickly started to make a list of the topics that might come up that evening. She wanted to have several responses ready for each. Suddenly, she stopped writing and threw the list in the trash. _This is why people think I'm a stubborn, obsessive nerd_. _Maybe I should just plan to be a normal person tonight._

* * *

Sara was ready when Bruce arrived at 7:30. She decided to wear her sleeveless, knee-length black dress. She carefully slipped her legs into sheer black stockings, put her hair up in a French twist and stepped into strappy black heels. This time she wanted to look like she was going on a date instead of a run-of-the-mill business dinner.

Neither Sara nor Bruce said much on the way to the restaurant, but Sara could have sworn she saw him checking her out a couple of times.

After they were seated at their table and had ordered their meal, Bruce took a deep breath. He knew he should start the conversation.

"Sara, I don't know what to say except I'm sorry. I didn't consider your feelings or whether or not you were ready to date again. I was impulsive, and I'm afraid I hurt you."

Sara noticed a pleading look in his eyes as if he wanted forgiveness. Or possibly he just wanted her to say something in response – anything instead of just staying quiet.

"Mr. Wayne, these things happen. Honestly, it was flattering. But you are right – I'm not ready to date again. I'm not sure if I will ever be ready." She usually looked at someone when speaking to him or her, but she felt shy and looked down at her plate as she spoke.

"Sara, I also wanted to ask you something. I really like spending time with you. Do you think we could be friends? I'm aware that might sound a little odd, and I would completely understand if you want to keep our relationship strictly professional. I just thought I would take a chance and ask." He was relieved that he said it. Now he just needed her answer.

"Mr. Wayne, I'm not against a friendship as long as the boundaries that separate friendships and romantic relationships are kept in line." Sara realized that she was sounding…business-y again. _He just made himself vulnerable to me, and I answered with all the seriousness of someone testifying in court_. She wished she had said something else.

"That didn't come out right. I tend to use a business attitude as a defense mechanism - I don't know why. But anyway, what I meant to say is that I think it would be nice being friends. I would like to know you better, too. Would being friends mean that I would be invited over for more of Alfred's amazing cooking?"

Bruce laughed, and not just at her joke. He laughed because he was happy.

"You will absolutely be invited over for as many meals as you like. Alfred would love that. And before you have a chance to call me 'Mr. Wayne' again, I think it would be more appropriate if you call me 'Bruce.' I'm sure you don't address your other friends so formally."

Sara began to say something but Bruce beat her to it.

"I think I know what you are going to say. You agree to call me 'Bruce' but not during business hours. Am I right?"

"That was exactly what I was going to say," Sara replied with a smile. "I think you know me pretty well already."

After driving Sara home, Bruce thought he should say one more thing.

"Um, Sara, I'm not sure how to say this without you…"

"Freaking out?"

Bruce smiled. "I guess that is the term I was searching for. Anyway, I was going to say that if we are going to hang out together you may want to rethink what you wear."

"Oh – you don't think I dress well?" Sara asked, just a little confused.

"No – you dress beautifully. I just meant that if every time we're together you look this sexy, I'm going to have a difficult time remembering 'boundaries'"

"Gotcha. From now on I'll dress in flannel shirts and old jeans. Is that better?"

"Better. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks for dinner. Goodnight." When Sara entered her apartment, the first thing she did was look in a mirror. _He thinks I look sexy_? Sara thought about what Bruce could wear to play down how handsome he is, but she couldn't think of a thing.


	15. Intermission

** Intermission**

I will post more chapters in the next week. I'm sorry for the delay.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter 15

The next morning Bruce went by Sara's office to drop off her coffee order.

"I'm sorry, but I think I missed a day or two," Bruce said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it. I was probably so lost in my own problems that I didn't remember. But now that you have reminded me, I expect the coffee service to be punctual every morning."

"Yes, ma'am – we aim to please. Do you have a date for Saturday's fundraiser? If not, I was hoping you would be my date."

Sara wasn't sure about that idea. "I think that would be fun, but wouldn't that give the impression that we are more than friends? Ever since we have been hanging out, the press has been calling me your girlfriend. And you won't believe this: I had one reporter ask me if we were secretly married. Now you want to throw gasoline on the fire?"

"I actually do believe that. The tabloids have said some pretty interesting – and false – things about me over the years. I'm sorry if I pushed you into the spotlight."

"Don't you dare apologize. I knew that there would be all kinds of speculation when we began to be seen together. Your friendship means more to me than a few inane headlines. I just wish I could know when they planned to take a picture of me. There was one last week where my hair was crazy – not flattering at all!" Sara smiled at Bruce. He needed to know that all friendships have to overcome an obstacle or two. She knew that he never had many friends in his life, other than Rachel. Sara was going to show him that friendships are strong bonds. She wouldn't desert him anytime soon.

"You know, this could be an opportunity to have some fun with the press…" Sara had an evil look in her eye.

"Hmm…what are you thinking?"

"Well, we could show up together, have a dance, and then fake a huge argument. The press would announce our break-up, and then a few days later we will be seen hanging out together as usual. What do you think?"

"I think it's brilliant. I can think of very little that would be as entertaining as toying with the press." Bruce was laughing at the very thought of it.

"Speaking of the fundraiser, I have a meeting in the conference room with the fundraiser committee in a few minutes. I need to approve the expenses for decorations, food, etc. It can get out of control. I have to make them understand that the more money we spend on the fundraiser itself, the less money we will have to give to the charity. Honestly, these women think this company has an infinite amount of money. By the way, am I still invited for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Yes you are, and I suggest you arrive on time. Alfred is making one of your favorites for dinner. It's a surprise."

"I will be there at 7:00 sharp." Sara liked spending time at Wayne Manor. She was more comfortable there than in her own apartment.

Sara rang the doorbell at 7:00, and was happily greeted by Alfred.

"How are you this evening, Miss West? I believe Master Wayne told you that dinner was a surprise."

"He did, but I smelled something delicious when I walked in the door. Did you make chicken and dumplings?"

"Your nose is correct, Miss."

"Thank you, thank you!" Sara hugged Alfred in appreciation. "I haven't had that in years. It brings back good memories."

"You are most welcome. I hope I did the recipe justice. British butlers are not used to making such Southern fare. I have also taken the liberty of making peach cobbler for dessert. I had to convince Master Bruce that a 'cobbler' was actually a food – not just someone who fixes shoes."

Sara's laugh drew Bruce out of his office. He smiled when he saw her. "I see Alfred told you the surprise."

"Actually, I guessed. But the dessert is a surprise! You two are too good to me." Sara leaned over and gave Bruce a little hug.

Over dinner Sara announced that she had decided where she would spend her vacation.

"I'm going to Nice. I have always wanted to see the French Riviera."

Bruce had been to the French Riviera several times and knew all the secrets. "Do you know where you are staying? If you have reservations somewhere, cancel them. There is a little place - very nice, but not well-known, right on the water. I highly recommend it. It is luxurious with incredible views."

"That sounds amazing! Since I plan to leave in a couple of weeks, I am booking last-minute. Do you think there will be rooms available?"

"Oh, I think they should have something…" Bruce answered like the big-shot he was.

"It certainly pays to know the right people! And since you offered, I don't feel like I am taking advantage of your influence when I ask if you could get a room with a sea view?" Sara put on a pleading puppy-dog face she hoped Bruce couldn't resist.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, so it's not necessary to give me that face. I already know you're cute." Sara blushed for a second, and then pulled herself together.

"Now, I have to say this - not just as your friend but also as your CFO. Neither you nor Wayne Enterprises is paying for any part of this, understood?" Sara was very serious. Bruce tended to pay for things only because he could. He needed to realize that it was important to Sara to pay for this herself.

"Why would you even ask such a thing? Do you not know me at all?!"

Sara broke into laughter at the expression on Bruce's face. He looked like a kid who was hiding stolen candy behind his back. He could be so playful and unguarded with her. She couldn't imagine ever getting tired of his presence.

Bruce loved Sara's laugh. He considered her his best friend. He knew that they would probably never be more, but he would gladly take what he could get.

Bruce and Sara spent the rest of the evening planning her vacation down to the smallest details. He thought to himself, _I will absolutely respect her wish to pay for everything, but that doesn't mean some "complimentary upgrades" won't magically appear._


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The fundraiser was held on the top floor of Gotham's oldest and most regal hotel. Sara had fought to hold it somewhere cheaper, but at least she was able to convince the committee to cut down catering and decorating costs. Simple decorations were always more elegant anyway. Also, instead of a full orchestra, there was a classic string trio accompanied by Gotham Symphony's world-renowned pianist. Sara realized these were small victories, but it did mean an extra $3000.00 or so would go to the charity.

As she and Bruce ascended the stairs leading up to the hotel lobby, they were met with a barrage of camera flashes and shouting paparazzi. Sara didn't think she would ever get used to this. She admired how gracefully Bruce handled the whole mess. Of course, he was certainly used to the attention by now.

Finally, Bruce and Sara were in the elevator headed for the top floor gala.

"I was very specific about what the committee could and could not do tonight. If I see just _one_ more canapé than we agreed on, all the guests will be treated to the business end of a hissy fit!" Sara looked ready for battle. However, Bruce couldn't calm her down. He was trying to stop laughing before tears streamed down his face. He thought: _Out of nowhere she says the funniest things – of course, she thinks she's being serious. _He had never known anyone with such a great sense of humor.

Bruce and Sara quickly split up to talk to all the necessary people who could not, and _should _not be avoided at these parties.

After much ass-kissing, Sara found herself in the middle of women known as the "single girls." Sara thought the moniker "girls" was stretching it a bit with a few of them. The women wasted no time pouncing on Sara with questions about Bruce. Adding to the fun was the many colorful observations each felt free to share.

"Don't you just want to faint when you see him every day? I know I would have to pinch myself!"

"Is it true the two of you are dating? If not, is he seeing anyone?"

"What does he dress like at the office? If he is in a suit like he's wearing now, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else! "

"Is he as…um… appealing at work as he is here?"

"What does he do when he's not working? Is it true that he is involved in the 'extreme sports' thing? It would definitely explain that body."

"Does he flirt with the staff or is he Dom…I mean…professional?"

Not surprisingly, the clincher came from a woman with the tawdriest reputation of them all: "Well, if I worked with Bruce Wayne, he wouldn't just be flirting with me. After all, why would I be there? He'd have me on his desk begging for more!" Mindy's declaration had all of the ladies howling with laughter. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Sara was not offended. She had to remind herself that all these women probably had trust funds, and the idea of working for a living was as ridiculous as it was foreign. One thing was certain: she would have one hell of a migraine before the night was over.

When Sara had a chance to speak, she made it simple. "We are not dating. I may not be able to address everything said here, but I believe Mr. Wayne is a genuinely nice person. I understand that y'all have placed him on top of some ivory tower, but he is just a human being." A few of the women rolled their eyes, but the rest looked at Sara like she had blasphemed their personal god. Sara smiled as she walked away, practically feeling the daggers being thrown at her back.

Sara saw Alfred and Bruce talking near the bar where Alfred was filling his tray with more champagne.

"You're alive! When I saw you talking to Mindy and her gang I didn't think we'd see you again." Bruce obviously thought her recent suffering was amusing.

"I believe you have underestimated Miss West, Sir. I am quite confident that she can hold her own in any circumstance. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to pass around more champagne." Sara could always count on Alfred to come to her aid and defend her. She often teased Bruce that she was clearly Alfred's favorite.

Bruce looked around to make sure photographers and reporters were still present.

"It looks like a good time for our performance." Bruce led Sara to the dance floor as planned.

"We didn't exactly make it clear what we are to be fighting about. Ideas?"

"Hmm…I could act jealous and claim that you were flirting with all the men and paying no attention to me. Or is that a bit old hat?"

"It isn't a very original scenario. Maybe I could start accusing you of undermining me at the office, and how you think I'm just another woman you need to tame."

"Ouch. Did you just come up with that? Or do you secretly think I'm a major asshole?"

"Don't be silly. I just happen to think quickly on my feet. These things just come to me," Sara replied with a mysterious look.

"Before we begin this spectacle, I want to tell you how beautiful you look tonight. I think I could get away with the jealousy hoax." Bruce couldn't remember when she had looked lovelier. Her dark blue, floor-length dress fit her perfectly. It had a plunging neckline and was backless, revealing more of her body than he had ever seen before. Sara dressed so conservatively at work that she managed to hide certain, ahem, assets. _How am I going to pull off being angry with her? I better get an Oscar for this._

One moment before they were to begin their quarrel, Bruce felt a tap on his shoulder.

A handsome man appeared with the intention to cut in.

"Oliver! I didn't know you would be here. It has been a long time." Bruce greeted his old friend and shook his hand.

"Allow me to introduce you. Sara, this is Oliver Queen. We went to school together. Oliver, this is Sara West, Wayne Enterprises' new CFO."

"Yes, I believe Sara and I have met."

Sara spoke up looking uneasy. "Yes, a long time ago. How are you, Oliver?"

"I'm well. However, I would be much better if my old friend here allows me to dance with his lovely partner."

"Of course, Oliver – as long as Sara saves me a dance for later." Bruce gave Sara a wink as he walked off.

"So," Oliver began, "How have you been?"

"I've also been well. I managed to work my way up the ladder to where I always hoped to be. Things couldn't be better."

"I wasn't expecting to see you here this evening. I didn't get the chance to figure out how to explain myself. I think you deserve some kind of answer to everything that happened." Oliver looked at Sara while he hoped she wouldn't slap him in the middle of the dance floor.

"I don't even think about it, Ollie. I'm sure you had your reasons, but that is so far in the past that I would rather leave it alone, if it's all the same to you." Sara did not want to rehash what happened between her and Oliver. She had finally let Brian go; she didn't want to relive another failed relationship.

As Bruce watched them dance from half the room away, he could tell there was something between them – or there used to be.

"Sara, I can't pretend that I didn't hurt you. You at least deserve an apology."

"You are offering me an apology for what, exactly? An apology for taking advantage of a young intern, or an apology for telling her you loved her when you didn't? I was so angry that one day you were just…gone. No phone calls, no letters – nothing. I know what happened, and I'm sorry about your dad and your girlfriend. Now, let's just call it a day." Sara turned her back and walked away, leaving him standing alone on the dance floor.

Sara found Bruce in the center of a group of investors, obviously hoping to form some sort of partnership with W.E.

She walked up to him and said, "I'm leaving now. Don't worry, I'm calling a cab." Sara walked quickly to the coat check area. Bruce followed, not sure if this was the fake argument they planned or a real one.

"Sara, what is going on?" Bruce whispered. "This isn't in the script."

"Screw the script. I've had enough crap for one evening. Please excuse me." Sara wiggled her way by Bruce and stood at the elevator. _This thing is taking its own sweet time. _

"Sara!" Bruce called out as he caught up with her.

"I saw you and Oliver dancing. You looked like something was wrong. What happened?"

Sara was out of patience. She raised her voice and said, "It is none of your business! Good, the elevator is here. Don't you dare step in here or go after me. I don't want to talk to you or see you until Monday morning."

Bruce stormed off to find Oliver, but he had obviously left already.

Bruce went up to the elevator and pressed the down button. A man came up to him to say something, but he didn't have a chance as Bruce turned to him angrily and said, "Not now."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

When Sara got back to her apartment, she saw Oliver standing at her door waiting for her.

"I don't know why you are here – please go."

"I think it's important that we talk this out. I know we don't normally run into each other, and we might not see each other again for a long time. Is it too much to ask that we have a conversation?"

Sara knew that he would stand there all night if she didn't relent.

"Ok, you can come in for a few minutes."

"Thank you, Sara." Oliver followed Sara in and shut the door

"Sara, I know you think I'm a jerk, and that I used you. You're right. When we were seeing each other, I was always looking for a good time. I was a young, rich guy who thought he could do anything he wanted to without consequence. It didn't occur to me that you might have real feelings for me. And if it did occur to me, honestly, I probably wouldn't have cared. I had a girlfriend, and you were just one of my 'side' hobbies to keep my life interesting.

"I didn't expect to have my world torn apart in the yacht accident. As I'm sure you know I was with my girlfriend's sister at the time. I thought we could go on a romantic trip and no one would ever know. She died on that yacht. My Dad and I survived along with one of the crew. Before he died, my dad told me things I never knew about him. He had used his wealth and influence to ruin people's lives for his own gain. He made me promise that I would be a better man than he had been. He wanted me to right his wrongs. I wasn't sure at the time how to go about accomplishing that. However, one thing was clear: I was just a younger version of him. In time, I would also ruin others' lives without regret. I would laugh in the faces of those who had suffered by my hand. I couldn't be that person. So, along with trying to correct my father's past mistakes, I decided to make up for my own."

"Oliver, I really don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting..." Sara wiped a few tears from her eyes and spoke softly as she continued. "I did love you. When you said you felt the same way, I thought we really had something. I felt like such a fool."

Oliver reached out to take Sara's hand. "You were not a fool. You were kind and trusting. I hope I didn't take those qualities away from you."

"No, you didn't – not that it would have been horrible if you did," Sara chuckled briefly and bitterly. "I've been too trusting in my life, and that quality hasn't always served me well. I had a bad break up at the beginning of this year. I wasn't paying attention to the relationship – I just assumed all was well because nothing seemed wrong. That is until I found out _everything_ was wrong. I've learned some things the hard way."

"I know this is none of my business, but is there something between you and Bruce?"

"We are good friends. I'm afraid I was a little rude to him before I left the fundraiser. Maybe "rude" isn't the word. Let's just say that I hope he speaks to me again sometime this year."

Oliver smiled. "Bruce can get moody and walk around brooding for days - sometimes weeks. I'm sure whatever was said couldn't be reason enough to sever a friendship. Bruce is a good guy. I bet he will gladly give you another chance."

"Thank you Ollie. I'm so glad you are back safe and sound. And I'm glad we talked tonight. I know you will be able to live up to your father's hopes for you. However, I still expect to see Oliver Queen act like the rich kid he is – maybe just every now and then. How else will I know you are ok?" Sara said this with a grin knowing he would've give up the nightlife anytime soon.

Oliver kissed Sara on the cheek and said goodnight.

"Goodnight, Oliver. Stay safe."

* * *

Shortly after Sara left the fundraiser, Bruce was walking to his car when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, handsome."

Bruce turned around. "Selina – what an interesting surprise. Are you here to steal someone's car?"

"Actually I'm here because I was hoping to run into you. I thought we could go get a drink if you're not in a hurry."

Bruce didn't have to think about it for very long. He was in a shitty mood and he could use a drink.

Bruce and Selina looked at each other as they sat at a small table in a quiet bar.

"You know I don't mince words, Bruce. I miss you, and I think you miss me." Selina was confident and direct as always.

Bruce already had a couple of drinks when he asked the waiter to bring another. He wasn't sure what he was doing there, but he couldn't deny to himself that he still felt a physical attraction to her. He thought back to when they were together and how exciting it felt. Bruce also remembered the arguments and the harsh words they exchanged, which eventually led to their break-up. He didn't want to go back to that. He had met someone, and she was more important to him than anything else in his life. He never felt that he and Selina were really friends. Their relationship was so volatile – neither ever felt secure because something could blow up at any time.

"I admit that there are a few things I remember fondly about our time together. But I can't go back – we can't go back."

"I know you've been seeing someone. Every picture I see looks like you both are attached at the hip. I didn't have to read one tabloid article to understand. She's smart, beautiful, and she's probably boring you to death. I know what you need, Bruce. You have to have danger and excitement. They are like air and water to you. Are you trying to change your reputation from 'bad boy' to 'Mr. Responsible Business Man'? Do you think people will see you differently because you are with _her_? It doesn't work that way. You can't change overnight. Let me tell you what will happen. You may start getting a little more respect from people you work with, and maybe the tabloids will give you a break for awhile. Then you will realize that you are unhappy. As unhappy as you were before Bane tried to take over the city. You will leave her. You will hurt her. This will not end well."

"I appreciate your opinion, Selina, but you know nothing about Sara."

"I know you. You need me, Bruce. Do you really want to spend your life with little Miss Abacus?"

"That's enough. Do you know the reason I agreed to have a drink with you? I'm here with you because I couldn't be with Sara. Look, Selina, we are over. We are not getting back together. Please accept that."

"If that's the way you want it, no problem. You missed your last chance." Selina stood up slowly to give Bruce one last look at what he was never going to have again. Then she moved to the back of his chair so she could whisper in his ear: "Thanks for the drinks, handsome." And Selina was gone.

Bruce picked up his cell phone and called Alfred. He couldn't drive home in his condition. He wondered if Sara was home. Was she alone? Was she with Oliver? He knew that something between them had caused her outburst. And he didn't care what she said about leaving her alone. He was going to call her in the morning. He thought: _If she won't talk to me on the phone, I will drive over there and force her to talk. It's time we told each other the truth – all of it. I know I'm not the only one with a secret._


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning Bruce was in the kitchen eating breakfast with Alfred.

"Master Wayne, do you still plan to tell Miss Sara about Batman?

"Whoa – what are you talking about?" Bruce almost spilled his coffee.

"Don't you remember, Sir? Last evening when I was driving you home you couldn't stop talking about Miss West and how it was time for both of you to tell each other all of your secrets."

"I must have had way too much to drink. I don't plan on telling Sara anything about Batman - at least, not yet. I remember that last night didn't go as planned, and she said she didn't want to talk to me, but I plan on calling her this morning to see if we can get together and talk about last night. I think her anger had more to do with Oliver Queen than me."

"Have you seen this morning's tabloid sir? I think you will find it interesting."

Bruce took the paper from Alfred, looked at the headline, and smiled.

Bruce ran upstairs to get a shower and get dressed. He had to see Sara as soon as possible.

* * *

Sara slept late – later than she had slept in a long time. Lying in her bed, the events of the previous evening played in her head. Oliver was at the fundraiser, and he managed to touch a nerve she wasn't aware was still exposed. She got angry at Oliver and Bruce, and took a cab home where she found Oliver waiting for her. She and Oliver had a seriously overdue discussion and parted as friends. _But wait -why was I mad at Bruce? _

Just as Sara was starting the coffee maker, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sara, its Bruce. Would it be ok if I came over in a little bit – say twenty minutes or so?"

"Um, sure – I'll see you then."

"See you then, bye."

Sara guzzled down her coffee and jumped in the shower. She didn't have time to do anything with her hair, so she left it curly and pinned it back. She got dressed, and was just finishing brushing her teeth when the doorbell rang.

Sara opened the door to let Bruce in. Her first thoughts were: _He looks really good today. And he smells great, too. Oh, get a grip, Sara._

"Hi – come on in. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thanks. May I have a glass of water?"

"Sure. Have a seat on the couch, and I'll bring it to you." Sara thought_, ugh, this situation is so tense – this needs to lighten up._

Sara gave Bruce his water and sat on the other side of the couch. _I love it when she wears her hair curly – it's incredibly sexy_, Bruce thought.

Bruce took a paper out of his back pocket and handed it to Sara. "This is for you."

Sara looked at the headline, then looked at Bruce, and then back to the paper. She read it out loud while laughing:

**"****_The Billionaire and the Brain – IT'S OVER! Sources from last night's fundraiser told _****_Gotham Today_****_ that Bruce Wayne and his girlfriend, Sara West, had an argument which ended with Miss West telling Mr. Wayne to never call her again. Miss West took a cab home, while Mr. Wayne was seen going into a bar with his ex-girlfriend, Selina Kyle…"_**

Bruce grinned and said, "Well, it looks like we achieved our objective – it just happened a little differently than we had planned." Bruce suddenly noticed that Sara had stopped laughing.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing - I was just reading the rest of the article. You're right – they fell for it hook, line, and sinker."

"Ok – let's hear it. Something is bothering you."

"I was just surprised to see that you went out with Selina, that's all," Sara said attempting to sound casual, but she doubted she was pulling it off.

"Yeah - that was a huge mistake. I thought you were really angry with me, so I had a few drinks while she tried to talk me into getting back together. I said no and she stormed off. I hope I never see her again, but it's not likely. Selina tends to turn up at the worst possible moments."

Sara felt relieved. She didn't want Bruce to go back to Selina. Not only would she hurt him again, but their friendship would be over - Selina would see to that.

"Oh, I was just wondering. I mean we're just friends, and it is absolutely fine for us to date people."

"I know – but I just want to make it clear that I am not dating Selina again. Or anyone else…" Bruce was sick of the "just friends" label. He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted, but he knew it wasn't _that_.

"Right, same with me. Anyway, I guess other than our weird, un-scripted 'stunt,' the fundraiser should have been a success. I'll get the numbers from Ann later today."

Bruce's curiosity was getting the better of him. "If you don't mind me asking, what was going on with you and Oliver? You seemed like you were angrier at him than at me. At least, I hope so."

"Bruce I am so sorry I yelled at you. I was going to call you this morning, but you beat me to it. You're right – I was angry at Oliver. He and I sort of have a history."

"What kind of history are we talking about?" Bruce was eager to know everything, but he was trying not to show it.

"It's a long story, but since you want to know… during the summer after my junior year at college, I interned at Queen Industries. I met Oliver right before going back to Harvard, and we had a little _thing_. I was young and starry-eyed, and I couldn't believe he would be interested in me. I hoped he and I were going to date even though we didn't live anywhere near each other. He said he had a private plane,and would fly from California to Cambridge regularly. And I believed him. I know this doesn't sound like me, but I was only nineteen. I had only dated one guy early on in college (who became a good friend because we had no chemistry whatsoever) so I didn't know about… well, anything. And this was Oliver Queen! He was only a couple of years older than I was, but he was so worldly and experienced – it was like I was under some kind of spell."

Sara stopped in case Bruce only asked about Oliver to be polite, and didn't expect so much information.

But Bruce wanted to hear more. "Please go on - I'm interested in how the past you and Oliver became last night's you and Oliver."

"Well, Oliver did visit about three weeks later, but said that he didn't have a lot of time to spend with me because his dad wanted him there for some business deal in Boston. So we went to dinner and then he left the next morning. During that night, and this is incredibly embarrassing, I told him that I loved him. He actually had the nerve to say that he loved me, too. Liar! But again, I believed him. After that night he called me several times always to apologize for not being able to visit. What was I thinking? Why would I tell him that? Anyway, this went on for awhile until he finally came to see me. And, like before, it was only for the night. Before he left the next morning, he told me about a fishing trip he and his dad had planned, and that he was leaving the following week. The rest is history. I learned during that time that he had a girlfriend, and that after some kind of fight, he ended up taking his girlfriend's sister on the yacht.

"I felt like such a fool for so long. When I heard that he had been found alive, I was happy for his mom and sister, but other than that I really felt nothing. I hadn't seen Oliver in well over a decade. I couldn't believe he was there last night. It didn't take long before my young, foolish self rose to the surface, and that girl was still angry. He said he wanted to apologize, but I didn't want to hear it. So I left. When I got to my apartment, I was surprised to see him standing outside my door."

"You're kidding. Did you let him in?"

"I did after realizing he wasn't going to go away. He came in, and told me everything about the wreck and the things his dad had confessed to him. He said that he wanted to make things right with the people he hurt, and he knew he hurt me. Oliver was very honest with me and his apology was sincere. Something changed him on that island; I was looking at a different Oliver. After we talked for awhile, we parted as friends. I was so exhausted emotionally, but I also felt like a small part of me was set free." Sara took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"So, the two of you don't have feelings for each other?"

Sara couldn't help but laugh a little at the question. "No, and we never did. I wasn't in love with him; I worshipped him. I guess I was just looking for something good and exciting to happen in my life."

"Come here," Bruce said as he stood and walked over to where Sara sat. She stood up and he embraced her in a big, warm hug. She felt like she was where she was meant to be - in the arms of her dearest friend. When they broke apart, Sara looked up at Bruce and said, "Thank you."

Bruce brushed some hair off her face and just lost himself in her for a few minutes. Then Sara broke the silence.

"You know what we need to do now, don't you?"

Bruce gave her a quizzical look.

"We have to execute part two of our scheme! We have to go somewhere very public and act like last night never happened and we are just as close as ever!"

Bruce laughed. "The press will be so confused – they won't know what to think. Tomorrow's headline will be very entertaining. Where shall we go?"

"I think we should have lunch somewhere where we will easily be noticed, and then maybe take a walk in the park while holding hands? Are you up to it?"

Bruce couldn't believe his ears_. Am I up to it? There is nothing I would like more than to spend this beautiful day holding her hand…_

"Your plan sounds great. I'm sure you are hungry after that story. Let's go."

When Sara and Bruce reached the lobby and headed outside, Sara noticed that Bruce didn't wait for the park to hold her hand. He was holding it already.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Bruce and Sara had been walking all day, so they decided to rest on a bench near the kids' playground.

Bruce, in between bites of cotton candy, asked Sara whether she saw herself married with kids someday.

"I don't know. I always thought I'd be married by now. I'm trying to accept that I may not marry – and that's ok. Not everyone is meant to be married."

"You didn't say anything about kids. You're really good with them, you know. You and your friends Tom and Lisa have done a great job with the Gotham Kid's Show Choir. My friend John wants to talk to you about including some of the boys at the orphanage. He says some of them can read music and play instruments. A lot of kids have been kept off the streets because of that program. And their school grades have improved dramatically. You've made a difference in this town, Sara. You should be proud of that."

"Honestly it's the kids I'm the most proud of. They have such amazing talent and they are brave enough to share it with the world. Music can make such a difference in a person – it is truly a gift. Tell John to give me a call. We need more boys to balance things out." Sara was purposefully avoiding talking about having children.

"It's obvious you love being around kids. I think you would be a great mom someday." Even though Bruce couldn't imagine having children, he could definitely imagine getting married.

"Bruce, something happened when I was almost twenty-one. Lisa and I shared an apartment together, and one night she was out with Tom. I came home that evening and the apartment was torn apart. I was standing there in shock and didn't realize the guy was still there until it was too late. He hit me on the head with something, probably hoping he would knock me out. But I stood up and grabbed the nearest thing I could throw and ended up hitting him square in the gut. He was doubled over for a second, so I ran for the door. He grabbed me before I could get there and threw me on the ground and started to kick me in the stomach repeatedly. He must have stopped when he saw the blood. I was unconscious by that time." Sara stopped for a moment to take a breath. She looked over at Bruce and he was slumped over looking at the ground with his hands in tight fists. She wasn't sure she should go on, but she had come this far – he needed to know the outcome.

"Thankfully, Lisa and Tom came back to the apartment just in time to get me to the hospital before I bled out. I don't remember any of this because I was out for three days, but apparently I had to have several blood transfusions and a couple of surgeries. The doctors thought I had lost too much blood, and they were afraid there could be too much brain and organ damage for me to recover. Bruce, are you ok?"

"Honestly, I'm not ok. Hearing about what happened to you makes me sick."

Sara was really touched by the pain she saw in Bruce. She decided to quickly tell the rest of the story.

"The major bleeding came from a perforation of my uterus caused by the beating, so I had to have a partial hysterectomy. There was only minor damage to other areas which the doctors were able to fix.

"But now I can't have children. After Brian broke up with me, I couldn't help but think that had a role in his decision. I always knew he wanted kids, but he never made a big deal out of it and he never brought it up."

Sara was completely exhausted. When she looked over at Bruce, he was no longer slouched over. He was sitting straight up, and looking directly in her eyes with such compassion that Sara started to cry.

"I'm sorry I'm crying like this…"

"Don't be." Bruce then took her hand in both of his. "You have no idea how grateful I am that you are here – alive – with me. Sara, you are so incredibly important to me – I couldn't do without you." Bruce kissed the hand he was holding and then let go so he could put his arms around her.

When the last of her tears were shed, she said, "Bruce, you're important to me, too. I guess that is why I wanted you to know about this. But I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I accepted it long ago. I can't change what happened, and there is no sense in wishing I could."

Bruce still had his arm around her. "Did they ever catch the guy?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I didn't want to hear anything about it. I only wanted to recover and get on with my life. I did have some reservations about going back to the apartment, and my friends didn't want me to. I was in the hospital for about a month, and during that time Ryan, Tom, Lisa, and some other friends moved us to a different apartment and had it completely decorated and ready to go when I got back. Lisa had completely re-decorated my room – it was so much nicer than before. They all chipped in and bought me my first real bedroom set and new bedding. I was overwhelmed. I really did some crying then! Oh – if you ever meet my brother, don't mention any of this to him. He won't talk about it. All he told me was that, as he watched me lying in that hospital bed, he had never been more scared in his life. I think I've dealt with it better than he has."

"I don't blame him. I know you're tired, so I am going to take you home now so you can rest, ok?"

"Sounds good." They walked back the exact way they started – hand in hand.

When Bruce and Sara arrived back at her apartment, they talked about dinner, but Sara explained that she had a meeting with Mr. Fox in the morning and needed to do some work before then.

"I understand. Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow."

"That sounds great," Sara said as she walked Bruce to the door.

Bruce opened the door and then suddenly shut it.

"Sara – I can't do this anymore – this 'just friends' thing. My feelings for you run much deeper than that, and I think you know that. What I need to know is how you feel. We've been spending so much time together, and, I, for one, can't remember ever being this happy."

Bruce didn't wait for her to say anything. He gently pushed her against the wall and kissed her. This time, she kissed him back. As they became more passionate, Sara broke away. She didn't want to go this fast, and at the same time, she didn't know _why_ she didn't want to go this fast.

Bruce looked a little hurt. "You aren't sure, are you?"

Sara looked at the floor and whispered, "No."

"Well, I'm sure. And kisses like that don't lie. I really hope you can sort through this – maybe when you're in France. I want you to be as sure as I am." Bruce kissed Sara on the forehead and left.

Sara stared at the door for a long time, thinking about the kiss and berating herself for being so indecisive. She felt so uncomfortable not knowing her own mind. She was always sure of what she wanted. But this was different. She thought Brian was her last chance. And now she knew she was wrong.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One (cont of Ch 20)

P

Chapter Twenty-One (continued from Ch. 20)

That same night, after Bruce left, Sara sat down to begin compiling information for her meeting with Mr. Fox the next morning. She couldn't concentrate - she was thinking of Bruce and the kiss. Sara realized that she knew exactly how she felt about him; she was just a little scared. So many things could go wrong: she could have her heart broken again; she could lose her job; her reputation as a staunch professional might be damaged, etc. There was a great deal at risk personally and professionally. What was more important to her? She loved her work, but would that alone be enough for her for the rest of her life? Did she really have to pick one or the other? Sara thought: _Here is a man who cares for me – he might even love me – do I want to push him away? And what if – deep inside - I may love him, too? Am I going to allow fear to rule my life I constantly tell the kids "Don't be afraid to take a risk." Maybe I should take my own advice. _Sara picked up the phone and called Bruce's cell phone.

Bruce saw Sara's number on his caller I.D.

"Hi."

"Hey. I don't want to bother you – you are probably home by now." Sara thought about what she would say to him. She couldn't call without a reason.

"Actually, I've been sitting in my car around the corner of your building all this time. I've been thinking – of you, of us. I'm afraid I've put too much pressure on you. I don't want you to waste your vacation thinking about this. I want you to feel free to enjoy yourself instead of stressing out about some arbitrary deadline when you think you have to have an answer for me."

"Thank you for saying that. I was feeling a little pressure. Since you're still here would you be willing to come back up? I don't want to leave things like we did before." _Oh, crap. What am I going to do now? He is going to be here in a minute. This is why I like to think things through. Now I am at the mercy of my feelings –of what my gut is telling me. Nice job, idiot._

The door bell rang. Sara let Bruce in without saying a word. They were both silent with apprehension written all over their faces.

Sara moved toward Bruce until there was barely air between them.

"I'm sure, too." Sara wrapped her arms around Bruce's neck and kissed him for all she was worth. He kissed her back, holding her tightly and caressing her back. Before they knew it, their hands were everywhere. Sara realized just how strong Bruce was when her hands felt his chest, arms, and back. Bruce always knew she was sexy, but touching her body all over - her hair, her hips, and her breasts – made him crazy. He wanted to take her to the bedroom – NOW. He picked Sara up and gently laid her on her bed. He crawled on top of her and she felt how much he desired her. That's when an alarm went off in her head. _This is too fast. I want to go slower; I want this to be romantic. I have to slow this down. Oh – but he feels so good. Ok, I need to slow this down._

Sara's kisses became lighter and she stopped touching him. He got the message.

"You think this is too fast, don't you?

"Yes, I 'm sorry but I have to stop myself now or I'm going to tear your clothes off. This feels so nice – so right. I don't want to ruin this because we lost control. Does that make sense?"

"I was thinking the same thing. This feels amazing, and it feels so natural. But you're right. Sara, when this happens I want to know this is going to happen. I want to make love to you when we both know it's the right time."

Sara lightly touched his face while staring into his beautiful hazel eyes.

"So, what do we do now?" Sara laughed a little when she asked this.

Bruce laughed in return.

"I think I should leave before I start tearing _your _clothes off – which I'm dying to do, by the way."

Sara walked Bruce to the door for the second time that night. But this time, instead of feeling guilt over her uncertainty, she was deliriously happy.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Bruce was looking intensely in her eyes. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"That is the cutest thing I've ever heard you say. Of course I want to be your girlfriend!" Both Sara and Bruce stood smiling at each other before giving each other a good-night kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow – and don't forget your girlfriend's coffee!"


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Monday morning Sara woke up excited to see Bruce again. But when she arrived at her office, there was a coffee and a note on her desk. The note read: "I'm sorry, but I have to work outside the office today. I'll call you tonight. – B"

_Uh, oh_, Sara thought. _I hope there isn't a problem with a client._

Sara met Mr. Fox in his office at nine a.m. for their meeting. He looked like he was already having a bad day.

"Miss West, please have a seat. We have some unfortunate business to attend to. Did you bring the financial records for all the departments?"

"Yes, they are all right here," Sara said as she handed the notebook to Mr. Fox.

"Mr. Wayne is flying to California now to meet with a client who we believe has used their money, and ours, to fund a 'off the books' account for the CEO and his staff to hide money they have siphoned off their employees' retirement accounts. We also believe that an employee here at W.E. has been aware of this, and has covered it up. I need you to thoroughly investigate this. It is vital that we come to the same conclusion."

Sara was right about a problem with a client. She just didn't expect something of this magnitude.

"We have to work quickly to make sure Mr. Wayne has time to look at the data before the meeting. Meet me back here by 11:00 am."

Sara returned quickly to her desk to start running numbers. At 10:30 she was writing up her report when her secretary buzzed her.

"Miss West, I have Miss Selina Kyle on the phone for you. Should I put her through?"

_She has to be kidding me._ "Sure, Ann, put her through."

Sara picked up the line and answered, "Sara West – how may I help you?"

"Miss West, this is Selina Kyle. I know we haven't met, but Bruce has spoken very highly of you. I had hoped to meet you at the fundraiser last weekend, but something came up and I was unable to attend. By the way, I hope you received the check I sent."

Sara knew this wasn't about a check.

"Miss Kyle, I'm sure your check was received. I will be happy to call the group managing the funds and have someone get back to you."

"That would be very helpful."

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"There is, actually. If you don't already have plans, I would like to meet you for lunch today. Bruce told me that the two of you are dating, and since Bruce and I are such close friends, I thought it would be nice for us to meet and get to know each other. Are you free?"

"Yes, I am free for lunch. Where would you like to meet?" Sara wrote down the name of the café and agreed to meet her there at noon.

Sara gave Mr. Fox her report a few minutes before eleven. He said he would review it and get back to her before lunch. Sara headed back to her desk to work on other projects when Mr. Fox called.

"Miss West, I am happy to say that our conclusions are perfectly in line, and my secretary is faxing the report to Mr. Wayne as we speak."

"I'm glad to hear it. Hopefully he won't run into any trouble."

"Mr. Wayne can handle anything, I promise you."

Sara hoped everything would go well with Bruce. She missed him, and couldn't wait to talk to him that evening. But for now, she was going to meet Selina Kyle for lunch. _This will be interesting_, she thought as she left her office.

* * *

Sara walked into the café and took a seat. A moment later, a striking woman with long dark hair sat in the seat across from her.

"You must be Sara. I'm Selina Kyle, but please call me Selina."

"It's nice to meet you, Selina. You chose a nice spot for lunch. I can't believe I never noticed it before."

"It's one of my favorites. Sara, let's forego the polite small talk and get down to business. We need to discuss your relationship with Bruce."

"Well, Selina, considering how _close_ the two of you are, I'm sure you already know everything."

"I want to know what you think is going on between the two of you." Selina spoke with a very superior tone, which Sara thought was inappropriate. She didn't see anything "superior" about Selina at all.

"We are dating, which you already know. What is your real question?"

"Don't you think that it is a little odd for a man who is known to date models and actresses to be interested in you? Let's face it, you are pretty, but you're not his type."

"You are neither a model nor an actress, yet he dated you. You must think of yourself on a par with those women. That's a bit immodest, don't you think? Tell me, why do _you_ think Bruce and I are dating?"

Selina could see that Sara was not easily intimidated, but that only made Selina more determined to crush her.

"Bruce is trying to turn his life around, and that includes changing his reputation. He no longer has a reason to act like a 'playboy,' so he wants to show the Board of Directors at Wayne Enterprises that he has become a serious businessman. He knows that dating someone who already has professional and intellectual standing in the business community will reflect favorably on him. You don't think he could accomplish his goal with a supermodel on each arm, do you? Bruce is an exceptionally smart man who usually gets what he's after. And you believe he wants a serious relationship with you? Think about it." Selina laughed a little to show how preposterous the idea was.

_If there is anything I hate its SMUG. Who does this woman think she is?_ Sara really didn't care about Selina's delusions, but she had a morbid interest in the type of person who could flaunt them with such confidence.

"Let me get this straight. It is your opinion that Bruce must be using me to jump-start his professional career because he couldn't possibly have real feelings for someone who is, shall we say, less than glamorous. Allow me to ask you something. I'm sure you would agree with me when I describe you as a very attractive woman, so why isn't Bruce still with you? Are you admitting that you're dumb? That your presence would only bring him down further? I don't know where you work, but you may want to ask H.R. about an Employee Assistance Program. You would definitely qualify for free therapy."

"You're quick on your feet, I'll give you that. The reason Bruce and I are no longer together is none of your business. Bruce appreciates my cleverness - among other things. When we had drinks the night of the fundraiser, he admitted that he missed our relationship. I think he found it exciting. Is your relationship exciting? Does your ability to create graphs and spreadsheets get him off? Face it – you are simply a part of a short-term goal."

"If you're correct in believing that I am 'short term,' where does that leave you? Do you believe you have a place in his 'long-term'goals? Does he know how you still pine for him, and how you find it impossible to move on? He doesn't strike me as someone who is attracted to desperation."

"I've never been desperate for a man, sweetie. Maybe you can tell me how that feels. Didn't the 'love of your life' dump you after knocking up his ex-girlfriend? If that doesn't make a woman desperate, I don't know what would. What do you think Bruce sees in you? Or are you too flattered and starry-eyed to think about it?"

"I will tell you what I think. I think you should pose your questions directly to Bruce. Speaking for him is something I am unable to do. I'm glad we met, Selina. You are a very...unusual person." Sara walked away from the table, but Selina caught up with her.

"Look, just because you are brilliant and can keep a secret doesn't mean that he won't leave you once you are no longer useful."

"Right – we've been over this. I'm temporary and you think you and Bruce will get back together and live happily ever after. I get it. Wait – what do you mean by 'keeping a secret?'"

"What other secret would I be talking about? THE secret - HIS secret."

"Selina, I'm not in the mood to decipher code, so could you be a little less vague?"

Selina's expression was one of utter disbelief. This, of course, was quickly replaced by a look of sheer triumph.

"Are you serious? Your loving boyfriend hasn't told you? Why do you think he needs to lose the playboy image? It was all a cover. After all, who would guess that a young, philandering billionaire secretly moon-lights as Gotham's savior? I was right – he never intended to keep you for very long!"

High on her moment of victory, a giddy Selina walked away leaving one very shocked Sara in her wake.

Sara immediately called Mr. Fox to ask if he needed her for anything that afternoon. After hearing that everything was under control, she took a taxi directly to Wayne Manor.

As the taxi drove away, Alfred welcomed her inside.

"This is a wonderful surprise, Miss Sara. I assume you know Master Bruce is out-of-town, but I would love some company. May I get you something to drink?"

"No thank you, Alfred. I have an unusual request."

"And what would that be, Miss?

"Alfred, I want you to show me the cave."


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-three

Alfred was speechless for a moment. If Master Bruce told her, he would surely know about it. He needed to try to convince her that she was mistaken.

"Miss Sara, I don't understand. A cave is certainly something we would have noticed when Wayne Manor was rebuilt."Alfred smiled, but knew that he wasn't going to change her mind.

"Alfred, I appreciate that you are trying to protect him, but I know Bruce's secret. Because the person who told me isn't always reliable, I need to see the evidence for myself before I can truly believe it. Will you take me to the cave now?"

Alfred knew there was no way out of this. "Of course, Miss Sara, follow me, please." Alfred led them into a room with a grand piano. He then played three notes, and a door disguised as a bookshelf opened.

"This is tricky, Miss Sara, so please watch your step." Alfred led Sara into an elevator, and before she knew it they were plunging down 50 feet. When they stepped out, Sara was overwhelmed by the size of the cave.

Alfred saw the expression on her face and said, "I understand how you feel. I don't think I'll ever be comfortable in here."

About ten feet away, she saw something that looked like a computer on a little island. Alfred explained that the water was there as a security measure. Narrow bridges were installed to rise out of the water when someone needed to cross. To demonstrate, Alfred pressed a button on the side of a rock to reveal a walkway that led to the computer. Sara walked across and stood in front of the most complex computer she had ever seen. _This is impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if this could get access to information about the entire city and everyone in it –perfect for tracking down criminals_. There were also other computers stationed around the cave. Sara looked toward the left to see a machine resembling a car resting on a landing pad that she guessed also appeared out of the water when needed.

Sara called to Alfred, who was still at the edge of the water, "Where is the suit?"

"We burned the suits so they could never be found." Alfred explained. Sara followed Alfred as he walked across a bridge that ended on another platform. He typed in a code number, and something appeared out of a rectangular opening in the floor.

"This is one of the containers where the suit was kept."

Sara started to feel a little dizzy and asked Alfred if she could sit down. As Alfred fetched a chair, Sara heard a loud rumble that sounded like a motorcycle. All of a sudden, she saw the motorcycle practically fly into the cave. When the driver took off his helmet, he froze when he saw Sara. Sara looked at John Blake, and with her last ounce of strength whispered, "Y'all have got to be kidding me." Unfortunately, Alfred was a second too late with the chair. Sara had fainted.

When Sara woke up she was lying on a stretcher. "How long have I been out?"

"Just a few minutes, Miss Sara. You fainted after seeing Mister Blake enter the cave. Sara remembered now. Sara said aloud, "What the hell is going on here?" Sara looked over to see John standing near her with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm glad you are ok, Sara – I was overcome by the size of this place the first time I was here, too. When did Bruce tell you?"

Sara simply replied, "He didn't." She got off the stretcher, and asked Alfred to call her a cab. Alfred insisted on taking her home, but Sara didn't want to take the risk of Bruce coming home from the airport and seeing Alfred driving by.

Sara looked at the two men, deadly serious.

"I don't want Bruce to know I was here. Alfred, I know you would prefer not to lie to him. You can tell him that I came by, but he wasn't back yet. That's true. And then I began to feel ill, so I went home.

"As for you," Sara looked at John, "Don't say a word. As far as you know, I wasn't here when you arrived at the cave. You can explain to Bruce later, and make sure he knows that I practically threatened your life if you told him. He knows I can be scary."

Sara continued, "Bruce will probably call me as soon as he gets back. I want to be home when he does. If he wants to come to my place before going home, I will tell him that I am sick. Alfred, you can confirm that – it is true. After all, I did faint. However, I understand if you think that you are lying by omission. Please do what you think is right. But I really want to be the one to tell him. John, I think I know who you are, but we can talk about that later. I want you both to know that I will keep and protect Bruce's secret. I will not tell a soul – not my friends, not my family – no one. I would never put him in harm's way."

Alfred reached out and took Sara's hand. "Miss Sara, I am confident that you will always keep his secret. I know how much you care for Master Bruce. Thank you for your loyalty to him – you don't know how grateful I am."

John looked at Sara with a half amused, half serious expression. "You will keep mine too, right?"

Sara smiled. "Of course, I will. It will be easy since I really don't know your secret. And since I 'wasn't in the cave,' I couldn't have seen you enter, _**right**_?"

Alfred led Sara back to the elevator.

"If I may ask, Miss, what do you plan to tell Master Bruce?"

Sara thought for a moment. "Honestly, Alfred, I have no idea. I will tell him the truth about how I knew, and that I've seen the cave, but I haven't decided what to do about it. Some of it will rely on his reaction."

About fifteen minutes later, Sara was home. It was about six o'clock, and she wondered if Bruce's plane had landed. She was about to make something for dinner when her phone rang.

"Hi, Bruce."


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter 24

"Are you ok? I just spoke with Alfred and he said that you came by and you started to feel ill." Bruce sounded a little concerned.

Sara was so glad that Alfred didn't tell Bruce. She definitely owed him one.

"I'm still not feeling well. I've been tired and a little dizzy, so I'm just going to go to bed."

"Oh. I'm sorry you're not well. I feel a little selfish because I was hoping to see you. I really missed you today. If you need anything, please call me. I hope you feel better."

Sara loved hearing his voice. She had missed him, too. _How am I going to tell him what I know? We've been dating for less than twenty-four hours, and I'm about to blow the whole thing to hell._

Sara decided that she would talk to him the next night. She had to think about this some more. _I think I'll take a sick day tomorrow – I really can't see him again until I can talk to him about Batman._

"I really missed you, too. I might take a sick day tomorrow to sleep - I think I'm just worn out. Would you like to come over tomorrow night?"

Sara could hear the smile in Bruce's voice.

"I would love to see you tomorrow night. I'll tell Mr. Fox that you are sick and need the day off. Do you think he knows that we're dating?" Bruce wasn't in the office that day – he had no idea if there were rumors.

"I'm not sure what anyone thinks. We've had the press chasing its tail. They don't know what's going on – I don't think anyone does." Sara wanted to say, "_Except for Selina – she seems to know everything_," but she didn't. _The truth will come out tomorrow night. I hope we can survive this._

The only person Bruce told was Alfred.

"I think I should tell Fox tomorrow. I don't want to hide our relationship from him – even if that were possible." Bruce started to laugh.

"Yeah – I think he would pick up on it right away. And we would look like idiots saying, 'what do you mean?' and 'that's ridiculous!'" Sara giggled at the thought.

"Are you giggling? I don't think I've ever heard you giggle. I bet you look amazingly cute when you do that. Promise me you will giggle tomorrow night."

_Right! It's going to be a laugh-fest over here! _Sara was dreading it.

"I'll try. I don't know if I can giggle on demand." And damn it if Sara didn't start giggling again!

"Right now it sounds like you couldn't stop if you tried! I can't wait for tomorrow night. Get some rest, ok?"

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye, cutie." Bruce was so funny when he said something like that out of the blue. It always made Sara smile. But right now Sara wasn't smiling.

* * *

When Bruce woke up the next morning, he was in a great mood. This was not how he usually faced the morning.

"Good morning, Alfred! What's for breakfast?"

Alfred feared he was hallucinating.

"Good morning, Master Bruce. You seem very chipper this morning."

"I get to see my girlfriend tonight! I haven't seen Sara since Sunday." Bruce was getting antsy. _  
_

Alfred was afraid that he and Sara would not last. He didn't want to see Bruce sad anymore. _The boy has spent most of his life feeling sad to one degree or another. I would give anything to finally see him happy. _ Leaving Batman behind seemed like a good start. That is, until Alfred realized that Batman could never be left behind. He was a fact. And Bruce would have to deal with that fact for the rest of his life. _I hoped that when we burned the suits Batman would go away forever, _Alfred thought sadly. _How very foolish of me. _

When Bruce arrived at work, he went straight to Mr. Fox's office.

"Congratulations, Mr. Wayne. You handled yesterday beautifully. Right now their entire senior staff is being held for questioning; there will be charges filed by this afternoon."

"Thank you, Mr. Fox. I give you and Miss West all the credit. If I didn't have the data I needed in time, this would have gone south."

"Speaking of Miss West, have you seen her today?" Mr. Fox asked Bruce.

"She isn't feeling well, so she is taking a sick day."

"And now I'm supposed to guess how you know this and I don't?" Mr. Fox hoped Bruce would tell him what's going on with him and Sara. He didn't want to spend the next couple of weeks dragging it out of them.

"Well, I spoke to her last night, and that's when she told me she was sick. I told her that I would tell you." Bruce could tell that Mr. Fox was waiting for him to say it.

"Mr. Fox, Miss West and I are dating. I know the press has said that we've dated for months, but we were just friends. I would have told you sooner if that was the case."

"Well, thank you for telling me Mr. Wayne. You may already know this, but all inter-office relationships have to be filed with Human Resources. They have a form that both of you will need to sign. I wish I could say that by owning the company you are exempt, but it is a rule for all employees."

"I understand. When Miss West returns to work tomorrow, I will make sure we take care of that right away. Is there any chance that this could stay private?"

"Yes, Mr. Wayne. All files on our employees are kept private unless there is an extreme situation. So don't let me catch you locking your door for a 'business meeting' with Miss West anytime soon." Mr. Fox gave Bruce a wink as Bruce left his office.

* * *

At six o'clock, Bruce called Sara.

"Hi – are you feeling better?

"I definitely feel better after sleeping eleven hours straight. I needed that."

"Since you are better, would you like some company?"

Sara knew it was now or never. "Sure – when do you want to come over?"

"Well, does 'now' work for you?" He couldn't wait any longer.

"Now is fine. I'll see you in a few minutes." Sara didn't know whether to jump for joy or jump out the window.

Fifteen minutes later, Bruce knocked on the door. When Sara opened it, the sight of Bruce took her breath away.

"I missed you so much," Bruce said softly as he took Sara in his arms and kissed her. It was even more passionate than Sunday's kiss. Bruce continued to kiss her as he moved both of them to the sofa. Eventually, they had to come up for air.

"Please let me take you to bed," Bruce whispered as he began to kiss her neck.

Sara felt his hands wander everywhere, and his hands felt wonderful. She wanted to say yes. Maybe she would get another chance after tonight – she had to believe that.

"Bruce, I want to say 'yes,' but I need to talk to you first."

Bruce became a little nervous. That phrase was never a good sign.

"Bruce, yesterday while you were in California, I got a call from someone who wanted to have lunch with me. Talk about being surprised! You could have knocked me over with a feather."

"Is this about Brian? Does he want you back?"

"No, Bruce – it wasn't Brian. It was Selina Kyle."

"Selina? Why did she want to have lunch with you?" Bruce was angry. _Selina has no business with Sara_ – _will she ever leave us alone_?

"She started off by saying that since you two were so close, she couldn't wait to meet me. No – don't say anything yet. There is plenty more." Sara told Bruce Selina's theory: Bruce was just using her to change his reputation, and then planned to dump her when she was no longer needed. Bruce ran his hands through his hair – he was so pissed off.

"Sara, please tell me you didn't believe her. You can't believe anything she says – especially when it involves you and me. Tell me you didn't believe her." Bruce looked so desperate.

"No, Bruce, no – I didn't. I wouldn't." Sara saw the relief in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to stop her." Bruce placed his hands on her face and looked in Sara's beautiful blue eyes before kissing her again. He was determined not to let her go – bed or not. However, Sara was determined, too. She had to finish telling Bruce what happened. If she didn't, she would completely lose her nerve, and his secret would become the "elephant in the room" for the rest of their relationship.

Sara broke the kiss as tenderly as she could. Bruce was so amazing. She always wanted someone to look at her like he did.

"Bruce, she didn't lie to me the entire time." Bruce was obviously confused.

"I didn't let her get to me, and we talked for what seemed like an eternity. It was almost funny how smug she was – like the world revolved around her. When I decided I had enough for one day, I got up to leave the restaurant. She followed me, and when we got outside she said something I didn't understand. She said that you wouldn't stay with me just because I was smart and could keep a secret." Sara watched Bruce carefully to see if he was going to say anything. He didn't. Maybe he wanted to hear exactly what Selina said to Sara before he reacted.

Sara said it. "Bruce, she told me you were Batman."

Bruce got up from the sofa, and walked to one of the windows. He just stood there with his arms crossed staring out at Gotham.

Sara stood up and took a few steps towards him.

"I wasn't going to believe her. But when she realized I didn't know, she looked so triumphant, like she had dealt the fatal blow to our relationship." Sara didn't understand why Bruce still wasn't saying anything.

"I knew what I needed to do. I took a cab directly to Wayne Manor. When Alfred answered the door, I asked him to show me the cave. At first he tried to tell me I was mistaken, but I told him that I knew your secret. I had to see everything myself." Sara was near tears, but Bruce hadn't moved.

"The size of the cave was daunting. When I saw the computer and wondered how to get over there, Alfred showed me the walkways that rose out of the water. It was all so impressive – the computer, the car, everything. But then it hit me that you really were Batman, and I fainted right in front of the case that once held your suit. When I came to, I asked Alfred not to tell you that I was in the cave. He agreed to say that I was there at the Manor and that I felt ill, because both were true." Bruce finally turned to look at her, but his expression was blank. He couldn't have been calmer, or colder. Sara couldn't take it anymore. She started to feel angry. Bruce turned away from her and continued to stare out the window.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

_This is crazy_, Sara thought, _he is standing there like a pillar of stone_. Since Bruce wasn't saying anything, Sara decided that now was a good time to get some things off her chest.

"Bruce, I told you everything. I told you about the good and the bad parts of my life. If you ever wanted to know more, the information was there for you. There is nothing I wouldn't tell you. And now I find out that you were keeping the most significant part of yourself from me. During all the time we spent together, I never guessed or suspected that you were hiding something from me. Why did I have to learn it from Selina Kyle? Freaking SELINA KYLE, Bruce!"

"Before I left the cave, I promised Alfred that no matter what happens I will keep your secret. I will not tell friends or family. I could never put you in harm's way, so I will protect your secret. Alfred knew I was telling him the truth, and I think that's why he agreed to let me be the one to confront you. Now, I'm exhausted. You can stare out your window at home. If you won't talk to me about this, than I suggest you go."

Sara couldn't believe when the "pillar of stone" began to speak.

"Alfred believes in you; he trusts you." Bruce said this while continuing to look out the window.

"And you don't. Tell me honestly – were you ever going to tell me?"

Bruce finally turned around to face Sara.

"Honestly, I don't know. I know it sounds ridiculous because you found out anyway." Bruce said sullenly.

"You see, Sara, every time Batman enters into one of my relationships, the relationship ends. Even though Rachel promised to wait for me – wait for the day I gave up Batman - she knew deep down that it wouldn't happen. She didn't think Batman would ever go away, so she chose to marry Harvey Dent. And I assume you know the rest of the story."

Sara nodded her head somberly, and took a seat on the couch.

Bruce continued, "As for Miss Kyle, after the Bane occupation, we went to Italy where we lived under assumed names. We had a modest apartment, and we became close to an elderly couple who lived next door. They helped us with the language, and cooked these incredible meals for us. In return, we would watch their dog when they were away visiting their daughter. One day, I caught Selina stealing from them. She stole from other people in our building, too. One night, she mugged a couple on the street. She's addicted to it. I think she was unhappy and used that as an excuse to go back to being a thief. Selina didn't want Bruce Wayne, she wanted Batman. Batman was exciting and mysterious.

"I have never felt so foolish and stupid in my life. The entire thing was a sham. We didn't love each other; we simply thought we had no other options. It was impossible for me to stay with her. After all those years fighting criminals, I ended up living with one. It's a bad joke." Bruce stood, looking down at his feet. He was too ashamed to look at Sara.

Sara interrupted, "Do you know why she returned to Gotham? What kind of life does she have?"

Bruce laughed bitterly. "The last thing I heard was that she managed to grab a 'sugar-daddy,' if you will. She now has money, but I imagine the excitement is lacking. To feed her appetite for excitement, she still steals. Occasionally, she will do some crime-fighting, but more often than not, she is the criminal."

"You asked me why I didn't I tell you. I had one relationship ruined because I was Batman; the other ended because I wasn't. So, I gave up. If I wasn't close to anyone, I wouldn't have to lie. That was fine with me. Then I met you, and everything changed. I knew you were the one I could be happy with. But I faced the same dilemma. I am so sorry you found out from Selina. I should have told you. I should have told you months ago. I don't know what you think about all of this, except you think I don't trust you. I trust you more than anyone, Sara; I've just made so many mistakes that I didn't trust myself. I was standing over at that window trying to convince myself that I wasn't meant to have a good relationship with anyone. I was making myself seem detached and cold so you would think that this didn't matter – that you didn't matter."

Bruce walked over and sat next to Sara, "I messed up, again. I don't expect forgiveness. I'm not who you thought I was, and you don't deserve more lies. You've had too many of those in your life." Bruce got up intending to leave, but Sara stopped him.

"Brian lied to me out of guilt. You lied to me out of fear. Those are two very different things. I understand how you would be apprehensive about telling me. But you need to realize that I cannot be with someone I can't depend on to be honest with me – even when it's hard - especially when it's hard."

"Sara, do you know why I look so deeply into your eyes before I kiss you?"

"No…"

"I'm trying to memorize you. I want to close my eyes and see _your_ eyes. I want to remember how you make me feel, deep down inside. If we are no longer together, no longer friends, I will need to remember." Bruce's eyes were brimming with tears. He put his arms around her and held her. He was memorizing how she smelled, and the softness of her skin.

"Sara, what will happen next?

"I don't know. I'm leaving for France on Friday. For two weeks I intend to simply enjoy life. I will write, walk, eat (a lot), shop, and sleep. At the end of the day, I will sit on my terrace, and gaze at the beautiful sky and sea. And I will think about you."


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Allison was over at Sara's helping her pack for her vacation.

"So are things over between you and Bruce?

"I don't know. We pretty much avoided each other at work the past few days. Maybe when I get back he and I can talk things through." Sara couldn't explain the entire reason for the separation to Allison. She wished she could because her friend seemed terribly confused.

"I just don't get it. You two were hanging out and then you were kissing…now you're not speaking. It's too bad. I only met Bruce twice, but I could see the connection between you two immediately. Now, don't get mad, but are you sure you're not being the 'stubborn, immovable, controlling Sara' who sometimes rears her frustrating head? I'm just saying…"

"Thanks a lot! We honestly have some differences that concern both of us. I wish it was easier." Sara crossed her bedroom to get her bath products packed.

"Changing the subject – are you going to pack the bikini we bought? I know you have the whole 'prim &amp; proper Southern-woman modesty thing' going, but you look great in it. No one there knows you, anyway. And what if the other women are topless? You'll be overdressed! Honestly – is all that swimming, running, and kick-boxing going to go to waste?"

"Fine, I'll wear the bikini. I'm so glad we found these cute dresses. I don't want to wear anything remotely business-like there. I think you were right about getting a couple of new nightgowns. I want to feel all fresh and cozy in my French-made bed. I can't wait until I'm sitting on the airplane watching Gotham go by in the distance."

"Remember you promised to call me when you get there – don't worry about the time difference. And call or e-mail me at least every other day. I plan to live vicariously through you for the next two weeks, and to do that properly you will have to let me know everything that happens, ok?"

"I promise to keep you posted on the details of my French adventure. It looks like I'm almost packed – hey, what is this?" Sara held up a knee-length, sleeveless blue dress with a bit of silver-y shimmer that she may have worn once but forgot about.

On cue, Allison handed her the shoes and clutch that went with it. "Sara, you are not going to the French Riviera without an evening dress. You never know if you'll need it."

"And why on earth would I need it? I'm not planning on attending any balls, and I definitely won't be going on any dates. You are a crazy person." Sara was constantly surprised by Allison. Her best friend had made Sara laugh for over twenty years.

"Too late – it's already packed. Hmm - I'm wondering if you should bring your usual toiletries or buy new French stuff. Definitely buy a new perfume and a new piece of jewelry. And don't forget to bring me lavender-scented _everything_!"

"I promise I won't forget! I'll miss you!" Sara gave Allison a hug. Al had been so great through the Brian thing and now the Bruce thing. Sara felt bad for leaving out details that would help Allison understand. _I guess that's what Bruce had to do all this time. Leave out details or make them up. He must have felt so lonely – no one could get close._

* * *

Sara was at the airport checking in. The counter agent looked up her name and told Sara she was upgraded from Premium Economy to the "La Première class**."** She said that they were over-booked in Premium, so they were giving out upgrades. Sara asked about the extra cost, but the counter agent insisted that the balance needn't be paid. As Sara walked to the seating area, she smiled. _Bruce._

The flight was amazing. Her seat turned into a bed! Wow. When the plane landed, she had her own attendant to collect her luggage and arrange for a limo to take Sara to her hotel.

When she arrived at the hotel, she went directly to the check-in desk. Sara had reserved a Junior Suite with partial ocean views. However, the hotel clerk informed her that all the Junior Suites were booked, so they had to upgrade her to the Superior Suite with a full sea view. As a Superior Suite guest, she would have access to anything and everything 24/7. Even though she knew the answer, she asked the clerk if she needed to pay extra for the upgrade. Of course, he said no. _Bruce._

Her suite was beautiful. The bedroom was large with a king-sized bed, the bathroom had a separate shower and bath/jacuzzi, and it was stocked with all kinds of French toiletries. She would have to save the lavender-scented items for Allison. There was another room next to the bedroom. It had an over-stuffed couch, a TV that was hidden behind a screen, a desk area, a chaise lounge, and a small kitchen. The refrigerator was stocked with sparking water and champagne. And what she thought was the usual "ridiculously expensive" mini-bar was really a pantry full of complimentary snacks and soft drinks. Sara gasped when she saw her terrace. It went the length of both rooms with access to the terrace from each. The view was breathtaking. She planned to spend a lot of time lounging there – staring at the sea and day-dreaming. Sara wasn't tired, but since it was late, she decided to go to bed. Her doctor had given her sleeping pills for the first two nights. She took her pills, slipped on one of her new nightgowns, and crawled into bed. In a few minutes she was out like a light.

* * *

Back in Gotham, Bruce looked at the clock. It was almost midnight, which meant it was only 6am in Nice. Since it was too early to call, he decided to send Sara an e-mail. They never said they wouldn't communicate.

_Dear Sara,_

_ I contacted the airline and the hotel manager to make sure everything went smoothly. And no, W.E. didn't pay a dime; I wanted to do something nice for you. Oh, while we're on the subject, an attendant from the hotel will direct you to the finest restaurants in the area. There might be a tiny chance that you will find that your meal has been 'paid for by management' for some inexplicable reason. Don't think anything of it. I'm sure it happens all the time._

_ I miss you. When you get back, I want to talk this over. I didn't want to lie to you. I was trying to buy time so I could figure out the best way to tell you. Ironically, you found out in the absolute worst way possible. I'm sorry, Sara. I'm glad that we didn't end our conversation with a decision one way or the other. I still think of you as my girlfriend, and I'll do anything to make sure that doesn't change._

_ Enjoy your vacation,_

_ B_

Sara woke up the next morning and opened her laptop to e-mail Allison about the flight and hotel. She was surprised to see the e-mail from Bruce. The first part of the e-mail made her laugh – "I'm sure it happens all the time." Ha – sure it does!

The second part made her heart ache. What a mess. _Am I still his girlfriend? I miss him, too. He has no idea how much._ Sara thought back to the night before the fateful lunch with Selina_. Bruce and I were so passionate and adoring with each other. I wish this hotel had a time machine – I would go right back to that moment._

_ Sara thought a minute before replying to Bruce._

__Dear Bruce,__

__ Thank you for the upgrades. I had no idea an airplane seat could turn into a bed! I slept most of the way here. My suite is beautiful – I love that I can see the ocean from either room. I remember the night we sat on your library floor and planned all this. I had a feeling then that you would do something sneaky. "I'm sure it happens all the time" – you're so funny. __

__ When Allison was helping me pack, she asked about us and why we were having problems. I wished I could tell her so she would understand, but I had to be vague, which only confused her more. That made me realize how you lived all of those years. You couldn't tell anyone the truth, so you had to hide it. You must have been very lonely.__

__ You're right – we didn't leave things one way or the other. I'm still your girlfriend.__

__ I miss you, too. __

__ S __

* * *

The next morning, Bruce went downstairs for breakfast and told Alfred about the e-mails. Alfred suddenly looked frustrated and a little angry.

"Master Bruce, unless I am mistaken, you are a forty year-old man. Isn't that so?"

"You know how old I am, Alfred. What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not trying to say anything. I intend to come right out with it. You are acting like a teenager, and so is Miss Sara. So Batman came out of hiding - you knew that would happen eventually. And you knew that the result would be a bit of trouble. So what is all this nonsense about? Master Bruce, are you planning to sit here in this kitchen while Miss Sara is in France? You miss her and she misses you. My suggestion, Master Bruce, is that you call Air France immediately. Here – I took the liberty of writing down the number."


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Alfred, Sara was clear when she said that she needed this vacation to clear her head and find out what's really important to her. I can't just show up and intrude on her time alone. She has been looking forward to this. I'm not going to ruin it."

"Master Bruce, how long has Miss Sara been in France?"

"Not quite a week. She plans to be there for another week or so."

"I see. Master Bruce, maybe you should give Miss Sara the rest of the week. But keep talking to her, or e-mailing, or that hideous medium, texting. It makes you feel like you are actually speaking to someone, but you're not – you can't hear their voice, sense their emotions…"

Bruce had heard Alfred's rant a million times.

"Alfred, I plan to send her a message now." Bruce walked into his study and grabbed his phone. He was pleasantly surprised to see a message from Sara that arrived only minutes ago.

_Hey!_

_ Thought I'd take a moment to bring you up to date. I am currently lying on the beach and taking in some sun (with SPF 1000 because I burn to a crisp without it), and I am feeling very overdressed. It seems as though French women don't have any modesty issues. I might be the only woman here who is not topless! I emailed Allison about the hotel, restaurants, etc., and now I have to tell her about this. She had to convince me to wear what I think is a slightly revealing bikini, and she actually said the words: "You will feel overdressed." I had to tell you – you, of all the people I know would most appreciate a place where all the women are half-naked (except for yours truly, of course)._

_ I hope everything is ok at W.E. Remind Mr. Fox for me that any work-related e-mails will be deleted immediately. _

_ S._

Bruce laughed at Sara's shock at seeing everyone topless. He had been to topless beaches many times. It loses its appeal rather quickly. What appealed to him at the moment was the bikini Sara had been talked into wearing. _Sara tends to be a modest, Southern woman. I don't care how many topless women are on that beach – I'd give my right arm to see Sara in her bikini now. I'm sure she is the most titillating woman there. _Bruce was becoming erect just thinking about it. _Alfred's right. I need to see her_. Bruce replied to Sara's message:

_Hi,_

_ I hope you know how cruel it is to tease your boyfriend like this. I don't care about the topless women, but I am very intrigued by the bikini you are wearing. I have no idea what it looks like, but my mind is swimming (pardon the pun) with possible images. Suffice it to say, I look forward to the day I can see you in it – even though I have a feeling that it would end up on the floor rather quickly. _

_ Ok – better change the subject. W.E. is running smoothly, although I had to attend two meetings this week. Napping in there really leaves a crick in my next. I think I'll buy a recliner so I am more comfortable – I'm kidding, sort of. _

_ How are you? Have you been writing, walking, thinking, etc.? I would like to come see you, if you think that would be ok at some point._

_ I miss you,_

_ B._

* * *

When Sara got back to her room she made a long distance call to W.E. She needed to talk to Mr. Fox.

"Fox, here."

"Hi, Mr. Fox, this is Sara West."

"Miss West! I'm surprised you called, considering you threatened me with a plague of locusts if I contacted you on your vacation." Sara could hear the smile in his voice. Right now, she needed someone she could trust, and Fox was the one.

"Mr. Fox, I don't want Mr. Wayne to know I'm on the phone with you. Is that possible?"

"Yes, Miss West. If he walks in to my office, I'll pretend you're my wife." Sara laughed – Mr. Fox and his wife were great together. She loved being around them.

"This might sound odd, but I need to talk to you on a secure line."

"Of course, Miss West. What is the direct number to your hotel room? Ok, I will call you back in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, Sara's hotel phone rang.

"Thank you, Mr. Fox, I really appreciate this."

"It's no problem, Miss West. How can I help you?"

"I have done some thinking, and I have some questions that I believe only you can answer. Earlier this week, I found out that Mr. Wayne had a night job over the last several years. Did you know anything about that?"

"Miss West, I don't think you are asking me a question. I think you want confirmation that I know about this. If that's the case, I will confirm it. That isn't the only reason you called. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know what resources he had to pull off the masquerade. Things like weapons, how the suit was constructed, and the dangerous situations he encountered. I want to understand."

"That's quite a list, Miss West. I will need to go to another part of the building and call you back. It may take a while, is that ok?"

"That's fine. I will be here."

When Sara finished talking with Mr. Fox about two hours later, she had to lie down. She couldn't believe Bruce did the things he did. She couldn't believe he lived through these horrible things – losing Rachel and Harvey, becoming a villain in Gotham's eyes, Bane's prison, barely bailing out of the plane just before the bomb went off, etc. Mr. Fox told her how Bruce was always covered in bruises, scars, and burn marks. Some of the wounds he suffered in the pit would never completely heal. _Why would a man do that to himself? Because he believed in what he was doing._

Sara curled up on her bed and cried. She cried for the man who sacrificed everything, short of his life. And he was willing to do that, too. The counter on the bomb could have been wrong, or he might have missed a small detail and the auto-pilot might have malfunctioned. He knew the risks. She may never have met this incredible man. Sara saw her phone on the nightstand and looked at Bruce's last message. He wanted to see her. After everything he has been through, Sara wasn't going to add another broken heart to the list. She had to be sure.

Sara ordered room service and ate dinner out on her terrace. After eating, she leaned back and listened to the sea. She could hear Bruce's voice in her head. She wanted to hear it as he spoke in her ear. Yes, she did want him to come. When? She still wanted to spend time by herself. It was Wednesday night. Maybe he could fly out Friday and arrive on Saturday. Sara went into the bedroom and grabbed her phone.

_Hi!_

_ Would you like to fly over Friday and get here Saturday night?_

_ S._

_ Sara waited for him to reply. After a few minutes, her phone beeped._

_ Hi,_

_ I was thinking the same thing – I think I want to fly out Thur. night and get there Friday if that's alright with you. Then we could meet for dinner. What do you think? _

_ B._

_ I think that's perfect. I'm going to sleep – I'll talk to you tomorrow._

_ S._

Sara crawled and dreamed about Bruce.


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bruce walked downstairs carrying his luggage.

"Allow me to put those in the car for you, Master Bruce."

"Thank you, Alfred. Honestly, I'm feeling a little nervous. I mean, she did invite me, but we've just had an odd start to this whole thing."

"Master Wayne, do not over think this. Miss Sara is the same lovely woman she has always been. She just knows you a little better now. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. When does your flight leave?"

"My flight leaves at 6:00pm, so I should get to Nice by 5:30am or so. Thank you for having a jet waiting for me in Paris. I would rather not have to wait on a flight to Nice."

"You are welcome, Sir. Does Miss Sara know when you are arriving?"

"Yes, she knows it will be very early, so I 'm not allowed to call her until 9:00am. She has slept in all week, and I'm afraid she's addicted. I have no idea how we're going to get her in the office before 10:00am after this."

"Does she know you are staying at the same hotel?"

"No, Alfred that is a surprise. And I hope it's a good one."

"Here we are. Have a good flight Master Bruce. And please give Miss Sara my regards."

Alfred pulled up to the curb of the airport check-in area. An attendant was waiting for Mr. Wayne. The man took his luggage and handled check-in and boarding details for Bruce.

About two hours into the flight, after having dinner and watching a movie, Bruce went to sleep.

* * *

Sara unpacked the dress she wanted to wear to dinner the next night.

"Wait a minute!" Sara said out loud. "Now I remember – I wore this on my first date with Brian. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. This is going to Goodwill and I am buying a new dress."

Sara looked at the time – it was 8:00pm. _I can't get a dress now, so I'll have to do it tomorrow before dinner. I don't think Bruce expected to see me before then, anyway. _ Before Sara went to bed, she gave herself a manicure and pedicure. _I will do all the shaving tomorrow._

When Bruce arrived at the hotel, he confirmed his room reservation and asked for Sara's room number. They were almost across the hall from each other. Not surprisingly, because there were only a few Superior Suites. As the bell boy took his luggage to his room, Bruce sat down in the restaurant and ordered breakfast. It was 7:20 – he had plenty of time before he would call Sara.

After breakfast, Bruce went up to his room. As he passed by Sara's door, he stopped and listened for a moment. It didn't sound like anyone was moving around yet. He couldn't believe that only a door separated them. Bruce went into his room and unpacked. He decided to lie down for a while.

Sara woke up and looked at the clock. It was 9:20am. She supposed that Bruce was in Nice, but he never told her where he was staying. _Maybe he's staying here – he said this was the hotel where he preferred to stay. Just in case, I''ll be careful leaving the hotel. I hope I don't run into him when I'm shopping._ Sara could have kicked herself for not remembering that dress. She got in the shower and was ready to leave when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey – it's me. I'm glad to know that you're awake."

"I've been awake for about an hour. I was just about to head out and do some shopping."

"I would be happy to go with you if you want company. I would just be there to keep you from getting lost, of course."

Sara knew Bruce wanted to see her as soon as possible, and she wanted to see him, too, but she needed to get this shopping done alone.

"I would invite you to join me, but I'd rather go by myself. Don't worry – I've been walking around here for a week. I know my way around."

"If you insist. Would you like to meet me for dinner later? I'm sure you have passed this restaurant – it's on the water next to a little coffee shop I'm sure you have visited several times this week."

"I know exactly where the restaurant is – in fact, I'll probably go next door and grab some coffee there this morning. They have amazing croissants, too."

"Ok, how about 6:30pm? We can meet next to the restaurant at the bridge that overlooks the ocean."

Sara was so excited. "That sounds wonderful. I can't wait to see you."

"I'm excited to see you, too. I've missed you so much, Sara."

After they hung up, Sara made a beeline for the elevators. She didn't know that Bruce heard her shut her door, but by the time he opened his, she was already in the lobby.

* * *

After several shops, Sara found a dress she loved. It was black – which would be boring, but it had a cut-out neckline, spaghetti straps, and a semi-full skirt that fell just passed her knees. The dress looked exactly like one Grace Kelly had worn in one of her films. Sara picked out some shoes and headed back to the hotel.

Sara took her time getting ready. She showered again, and started to put her hair up until she remembered how much Bruce liked it down and curly. After she made sure her blond curls were tamed and fell a little past her shoulders, she put on her makeup and got dressed. She never took the time to look herself over and make sure everything was just right, but she did tonight. The dress fit her like a glove, and the wrap the sales woman recommended was perfect. It was 6:10pm, but Sara wanted to get there a little early. She grabbed her clutch and walked out the door.

* * *

Bruce was in his tux and ready by 6:00pm, but he was waiting to hear her door. He wanted her to be there before he arrived. This way he could get his nerves in check before seeing her.

* * *

Sara stood looking out at the sea when she heard a voice behind her.

"I don't think they should allow beautiful women to walk around by themselves."

Sara turned around and smiled as Bruce walked toward her.

Here they were, face to face.

"Hi." Sara felt herself blush. The sight of him always took her breath away. He was so handsome, and when he wore a tux Sara would get a little light headed at first.

"Hi." Bruce reached out and brushed a curl out of her eyes. Then Bruce cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. He felt like he was kissing her for the first time.

Sara swooned as she reached her arms around his neck. Bruce's hand moved to her waist and he deepened the kiss slightly. They were in public, and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. What Bruce didn't know is that Sara had completely forgotten where she was or who was around. She was in Bruce's arms, and the rest of the world melted away.

When they broke the kiss, Sara looked down and Bruce kissed her forehead. Sara didn't want Bruce to see the tears building behind her eyes. They were tears of happiness, but he might misinterpret them.

When Sara looked up, Bruce was smiling.

"I love the way you kiss me." Sara whispered as she lost herself in his eyes.

"I love you, Sara. I've wanted to tell you that for some time now, but unfortunately, other topics took precedence." Bruce held his breath waiting for her to say she loved him, too.

Sara looked at him wide-eyed for a moment, and then said, "I love you, too"

Bruce held her tightly to him and kissed her again – but this time they both knew the kiss meant more than any of the others.

Sara let the tears roll down her face. "Bruce, I love you so much. I've thought of what your life has been like. You are a hero, Bruce. I believe that with all of my heart."

Now Bruce looked like he had tears in his eyes. Sara closed her eyes and leaned forward to kiss him again. But he wasn't there. Sara opened her eyes, looked down, and gasped. Bruce was on one knee holding a ring box.

"Sara, I love you. You are everything to me – everything I have always wanted. I don't want to spend one more minute without you. Sara, will you marry me?"

Sara looked at Bruce, at first with an unbelieving stare, and then she realized what had just happened. Her head was swimming, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. And then she heard herself say the words:

"Yes! Yes, I will marry you!"


	29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sara was so overwhelmed that she forgot about the ring.

"Sara, give me your left hand," Bruce said, almost laughing.

Sara gave Bruce her left hand and he slid a 3k colorless diamond on her finger. The cushion-shaped radiant stone with a platinum band looked beautiful on her fair, slim hand. Bruce kissed it before standing up.

Sara immediately threw her arms around him and kissed him – lovingly and deeply. "The ring is beautiful, Bruce. Thank you." Sara smiled as she caressed his face with the back of her fingers.

"Thank you for saying 'yes.' You have made me the happiest man who ever lived. Sara, we are going to spend the rest of our lives together," Bruce was smiling wider than ever with his eyes bright and dancing – just like Sara's.

They kissed like their tongues were making love. They kissed tenderly, sweetly, and with an intense desire that craved release.

Bruce whispered in Sara's ear, "Are you hungry?"

Sara looked in his eyes and shook her head, no.

"Then let's get out of here." Bruce took her hand and they walked quickly back to the hotel.

"Where are you staying?" Sara asked Bruce.

"Across the hall from you - do you want to go to your place or mine?"

"My place – I have some things there." Sara looked at Bruce like a cat looks at a mouse – a future meal.

"What is with this slow elevator?" Bruce grumbled under his breath as Sara giggled with amusement.

"You're giggling! I can't tell you what that does to me." Bruce held Sara tighter and was going to kiss her, but the elevator doors opened.

They were outside Sara's suite a couple of minutes later. When Sara opened her door, Bruce's phone rang.

"I'm so sorry – I need to answer this." Bruce walked to the terrace and closed the door behind him.

_That was weird. But now I have time to change_. When Sara went shopping for the dress, she also picked up some lingerie hoping she would be wearing it tonight. Sara changed into a very skimpy black lace bra that showed off her c-cup chest, followed by a matching thong. Then she put on a hotel robe that covered up everything. She wanted to reveal herself at just the right time.

Finally, Bruce was off the phone. He looked a little flustered.

"Who was that?" Sara asked from the bedroom. If it was work-related, she would send Mr. Fox frogs to go along with the locusts.

"Um, that was your brother."

"What? Oh,no – did you call him and tell him you were going to ask me?"

"No, I actually flew to Atlanta to talk to him."

"You have got to be kidding me! I bet he tried to scare the life out of you. Ugh, I am so sorry." _Why does Ryan have to be such a damn freak?_

* * *

**Flashback to early Thursday morning before Bruce's flight to France:**

The taxi dropped Bruce off in front of a medical office building. He went inside and found _Ryan West, Pediatric Specialist, suite 900_ on the directory. As Bruce headed up to Ryan's office, he prayed this would go well. _I have to marry this woman. If her brother hates me, I'll have no choice but to jump out of his office window. No cape, no belt, nothing. _

Bruce walked into the office and approached an older woman seated at the reception desk.

"Excuse me, my name is Bruce Wayne, and I have an appointment with Dr. West at 8:30am."

"Yes, Mr. Wayne – I will show you to his office."

When Bruce walked into Ryan's office, Ryan stood and greeted him with a handshake.

"Thank you, Miss Sally (addressing the older nurse). Please have a seat, Mr. Wayne." Ryan gave Bruce a friendly smile as he sat back down in the chair behind his desk.

"Miss Sally has been a friend of the family's for years. She was a teenager when I was born. In fact, her daddy* was the doctor who delivered both Sara and me. He was a great man. He inspired me to become a pediatrician. Now, I understand you are here regarding my sister." Ryan looked straight at Bruce without blinking.

Bruce thought**: **_Ryan is just like Sara – he has the same "Southern nobility" accent, although Sara's isn't as strong. _Bruce could easily see that Ryan was the kind of man who rarely gets intimidated, and is not impressed by wealth or power_. This isn't going to be easy._

"Yes, I am, Dr. West. Sara mentioned in passing that your parents would be on a cruise while she was in France. Since I couldn't meet your father, I thought I should come to see you. I'm here to ask your permission to marry Sara." Bruce sat up straight. He wanted Ryan to see how important this was to him, and how sincerely he wanted his blessing.

"Mr. Wayne, my sister told me about your relationship. I can't say that I was pleased. You see, Mr. Wayne, my sister is very important to me, and I don't like that she is spending her time with a man whose past is highly questionable – especially when it involves women. I don't want to see Sara's reputation sullied. Do you understand, Mr. Wayne?" Ryan spoke calmly, with a gentleman's tone. However, Ryan's piercing look told Bruce to be very careful.

"I do understand your concern. My family name is very well-known in Gotham, and that is part of the reason the rumor mills and tabloids have taken a special interest in me. And I do freely admit that I have given the gossip magazines plenty of business. However, I think it's fair to say that I have done a great deal to change that reputation. I was never the irresponsible womanizer who everyone saw. But only a few people knew that. One of them, a friend of mine, told me that it didn't matter who I was on the inside – what mattered was what I did for others, for Gotham." Bruce paused a moment, remembering that night. Then he continued, "That opened my eyes. I now run my father's company along with our CEO, Lucius Fox. Mr. Fox and I sometimes joke that your sister really runs W.E. I'm sure you're aware of her abilities. She has been pivotal in the company's growth since she began working for us.

"I am not the man I used to be, Mr. West, but I can't make people believe that. People who are convinced that I'm still a playboy will never think otherwise. I had to learn that I could become a better person, but that wouldn't guarantee everyone would acknowledge it or even believe it. Sara sees me for who I am. At first, I'm sure she probably didn't know what to think of me. At some point, she became my friend. She let me in to her life and I let her in to mine. I respect her and trust her. And I love her – very much."

"And she loves and trusts you as well. That surprised me. She has every reason not to trust – especially after what that arrogant ass did to her. I apologize, but I tend to hold a grudge against any man who hurts Sara. Yes, she's a grown woman, but she will always be my little sister. I'm sure you can understand that." Bruce nodded.

"Mr. Wayne, I think I can safely assume that you don't ask many women to marry you. I would be unfair to you, and to Sara, if I didn't acknowledge your visit here today. It takes strength of character to ask permission for something like this from someone you have never met. I admire that quality – I don't see that in many people." Ryan stood up, obviously finished with the conversation. He shook Bruce's hand and told him that he would call him soon after he made his decision.

Bruce thanked Ryan for his time. Bruce had a cab waiting for him so he could get to the airport as soon as he finished speaking with Sara's brother. Bruce knew that he would be in France when Ryan called him back. He hoped the timing would work out, because before he got on the plane, he had to buy a ring.

* * *

**Author's note:**

*Many Southern men and women (mostly from old Southern families) often refer to one's parents as their "Mother and Daddy." The term "daddy" is not used in a childlike way, but a respectful way. A film that demonstrates their accent, and the etiquette Ryan and Sara's family would adhere to, is "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." It portrays the "old southern way" that can be found today in Savannah and in older neighborhoods of Atlanta. (I mention the film because I don't have room to go through all the societal dynamics here). :)


	30. Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Sara wanted to hear the whole story about Bruce seeing her brother, but she knew that if she came out of the bedroom with the robe on, Bruce would only be interested in what was underneath. Sara quickly took off the robe and put her dress back on. _This might even be better_, she thought. _He might think I had the underwear on all the time, as if I was planning this before he proposed. Hmm…this could get interesting…._

Sara stepped out of the bedroom and found Bruce sitting on the chaise. He seemed a little worried.

"Tell me what happened yesterday. What did he say?"

Bruce gave her a quick synopsis of the meeting. "And after the meeting was over he said he would call me with his decision."

Sara did her best not toroll her eyes. _Ryan would call when he made his decision? He really played it up for Bruce, didn't he?_

Sara went to the kitchen and grabbed some water for her and Bruce. After she gave Bruce his water, she asked, "Was that Ryan on the phone just now?"

Bruce nodded. "He said he was calling with his decision. Apparently he hasn't warmed up to the idea, but he was sure in time he would get used to it."

"Did you tell him that you already proposed and I said yes?"

"I did. He said he didn't understand why I wasted his time if I planned to do it anyway. Then he said that I wasn't starting on the right foot with your family before he hung up." Bruce held Sara's hand and asked her what she thought of this.

"Bruce, I don't know how to tell you this, but Ryan just played you, and you fell for it. He was just screwing with you. I'm sorry, but now you have a better idea of the family you are walking into." Sara assured Bruce that she wasn't mad at him, and neither was Ryan.

"What? That was all bullshit? Are you serious? Great – he thinks I'm a complete idiot." Bruce was not happy.

"No, he doesn't. He is way too proud of himself to think about anyone else. He has probably called my dad by now, and maybe some of his friends."

"Don't you think you should be consoling me instead of rubbing it in?" Bruce got up and walked out of the hotel room.

Sara immediately picked up her cell and called her brother.

"Hello, Sara – how is my darling little sister this evening?" Ryan was already laughing.

"I would say that I can't believe you did this, but I completely believe it. Now that you've had your fun, call Bruce on his cell NOW and make this right! He thinks you have made a fool of him. He's probably wondering if asking me was a mistake in the first place! Look, Bruce is a wonderful man. I want to marry him more than anything. If you mess that up, I will kill you - I will rob you of any kind of pride you have and shoot you with your own gun. CALL." Sara hung up her phone and walked over to Bruce's door and tapped on it lightly.

Bruce was on his phone when he answered the door. He was listening to someone talk - probably Ryan. And to Sara's surprise, he started cracking up.

After Bruce hung up, he fell on his bed with his arms crossed beneath his head. "Sara, I really like your brother. He is funny as hell."

"What did he say?" Sara couldn't help but wonder what caused Bruce to laugh like that. Something was up.

Bruce got off the bed and walked over to Sara, and kissed her. She wasn't kissing back.

"Crap – I know what that means."

"What did he say?" Sara repeated her question, looking like she was about to have a fit.

Bruce smiled. "Ryan called and apologized, and congratulated us on our engagement. He thought it was funny - he knew you would never consider marrying a man who was waiting for permission to propose. I admitted that he really got me, and he said that was a good thing, that it meant I took all of this seriously. Then we started to talk about you, and that was it. You can kiss me now," Bruce said with a smirk. Sara pushed him away.

"Are you telling me that I was the last subject of your conversation? Because when I came in, I thought you had to be high on something. Now I see it was clearly about me. What about me do you find so funny? I don't think I like this at all." Sara walked out of Bruce's room, and went to hers. She didn't forget to slam the door.

Bruce followed her and knocked on her door. She was not answering.

Bruce yelled through the door. "Sara, come on, we were not making fun of you. Ryan told me to start laughing so you would think we were."

Suddenly the door opened, but no one was there. Bruce took a few steps indside, and the door shut behind him. He turned around and saw Sara standing in nothing but the special bra and panties – and black stiletto heels, of course. Bruce momentarily stopped breathing. Sara began to walk around him like she was checking him out. When she stopped in front of him she was smiling.

"I believe you are overdressed."

"Then why don't you undress me?"

Sara whispered in his ear, "Oh…I'd be happy to."

Bruce had already taken his tie and jacket off in his room, so Sara started with his shirt. She slowly undid each button while she nibbled on his ear. He moaned softly while running his hands all over Sara's body. They were both getting impatient. She threw his shirt on the floor before kneeling in front of him to take of his pants. Bruce liked seeing her in that position and she knew it – he was as hard as a rock. Once she slipped his pants off, she led him into the bedroom and bent over the bed a little before turning to sit down.

"Bruce, could you help me remove my shoes and stockings? I don't think I can reach them." Sara smiled and slid back on the bed a little so she could get a better view of him. _He is so sexy, so incredibly sexy. Those muscles – I don't think I can control myself much longer._

Bruce was going crazy - he took off her shoes and stockings quickly.

"Lie back," Bruce said in a dark, husky voice. He moved toward her on the bed, hooked his thumbs in her thong, and slowly moved it down. When she was lying there half-naked in front of him, he didn't waste any time taking off his boxer briefs. Bruce moved forward until he was directly on top of her.

"Take off your bra," Bruce commanded. Sara reached behind her back and removed her bra, watching his reaction. Seeing Sara's bare breasts was all he could take. He pressed his mouth to hers and they kissed wildly.

"Oh, god, you're beautiful. I need you now." Bruce reached down and slipped a finger into Sara's wetness as he touched and kissed her breasts. Sara was running her hands over his magnificent body, and touched him lower, too. He was like steel – she wanted him inside her. Bruce kept his finger moving inside her while his thumb found that special spot.

"Bruce, oh yes – that feels so good. Oh, oh!" Sara screamed out her orgasm, and Bruce immediately entered her. He was trying not to go too fast, but the sound of Sara's cries and moans just made him go faster.

"Sara – Sara – I can't…" Bruce made one last thrust and moaned loudly as he released into Sara and collapsed beside her.

"I love you so much, Sara"

"I love you, too"

They crawled under the covers, and quickly fell asleep in each other's arms.


	31. Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

"Hi."

"Hi."

Sara and Bruce woke up the next morning looking at each other and feeling right at home.

"This is what I want. I want to wake up to you every morning for the rest of my life." Bruce put his arms around her, and kissed her like he wanted to take it somewhere – which he did.

Sara started to laugh. "You must really love me if you're willing to stick your tongue in my mouth when I have morning breath!"

"Is that a hint that I have bad breath?" Bruce started to tickle her. "I won't stop until you tell me the truth…"

"Ok, ok! Yes – you have bad breath – but I'm willing to kiss you anyway."

"Too late. I think I'll go brush my teeth now." Bruce gave Sara a dirty look as he walked to the bathroom.

"Me, too – and I need the powder room." Thankfully, the bathroom was so large that there was a separate room for the toilet. Well, not really a room – more of a closet.

Bruce spit out his toothpaste as Sara walked out of the 'closet.'

"Are you always going to be that polite? The 'powder room?' You are allowed to say that you need to 'go to bathroom,' or 'pee.' We are getting married - I think we should get used to the idea that we won't always filter everything we say."

"Considering we got engaged last night, I think I will keep my manners at least until after the wedding. Besides – what would you have said?"

Bruce casually walked to the toilet and said, "Something like: Honey, I'm going to take a piss."

"You would not!"

Sara could hear Bruce say through the door, "I just did!"

Sara just rolled her eyes as she brushed her teeth. So this is what marriage will be like. I bet he's going to throw his underwear on the floor like any other man. But then, not all men have Alfred to pick it up.

When Bruce came out he found Sara in bed waiting for him. Before he knew it Sara was on top of him.

She gave Bruce a sexy smile and said, "Now where were we?"

"I think we were right here…" Bruce lifted her up a little so he could slide inside her. Sara and Bruce quickly got in a rhythm, and Bruce was obviously enjoying the view.

"I know what you are looking at," Sara said, smiling and breathless.

"I think you do. Damn, Sara. How do you do this to me?" Bruce was panting – he could barely speak.

"I could ask you the same question. Oh, Bruce – I'm so close – this is incredible."

Bruce placed his hands on her breasts and played with her nipples.

"Oh, yeah – that feels so good! Bruce, I'm – I'm –!" And then Bruce heard his favorite sound in the world – Sara coming apart with cries of passion.

Bruce followed a second later. Bruce kissed Sara while Sara ran her hands over his body. " I think I'll make love to you at least once a day - maybe more. Can you handle that?" Bruce was teasing her and seducing her at the same time.

"I can handle it – can you?" Sara looked at Bruce with a twinkle in her eye.

"I'm going to let actions speak louder than words." Bruce rolled Sara on her back and entered her again.

Sara thought: W_e are so starved for each other. Hopefully we can go a little longer since we've both had a release._

Bruce was thinking the same thing. He couldn't get enough of her.

"I love you, Sara – I can't wait until we're married, and you can make an honest man out of me." They both smiled at the common phrase he twisted before continuing to kiss hard and deep. Bruce was trying to think of something that would help him control his thrusts. _Cauliflower – I hate cauliflower. But what if Sara made me cauliflower? And what if she were naked? Shit – this isn't working._

"Bruce, go faster. Do it harder, Bruce – harder!" Sara was losing all her inhibitions. This was the best sex she ever had – the best she ever imagined.

Bruce was going at her hard and fast. He couldn't hold it much longer, but he really wanted Sara to get there first, or at least, the same time.

"Bruce – yes – right there. Faster! Oh, f**k!" Sara yelled out as she had the strongest orgasm she ever experienced. Responding to Sara's unexpected outburst, Bruce let go. The room was full with moans, groans, and screams of intense desire.

"Sara – you surprised me - in a good, no, great way. Please say that again - it made me explode. I will need to recover after that."

Sara was breathing hard again. "Bruce, I don't think I'm done yet."

Bruce wasn't sure what to do. He was spent – he would need time before he felt ready again.

"What do you want me to do? I'll do anything."

Sara closed her eyes and said, "Do what you did to me last night."

It only took a few minutes of Bruce's magic fingers before Sara was crying out again. They lay next to each other trying to steady their breathing as they came down from their orgasms.

"Wow," Sara said. "I can't remember if I've had two in a row before."

"You can have as many as you want. As your husband, I will make it my mission in life to meet all of your needs. Honestly, Sara – it's important to me that you are confident that I can please you sexually."

Sara turned on her side so she was facing him. "After what just happened you don't need to worry about that. I love our love-making. This is the most mind-blowing and body-shattering sex I've ever had." Sara crawled into his arms and sighed out of complete satisfaction.

"Bruce – I know this is probably just as silly, but are you confident I can please you?"

"There isn't a doubt in my mind. You do things to me - you make me feel things I didn't think I would ever feel. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Bruce. Part of me has a hard time believing I'm going to be your wife. It's just too wonderful. I never thought I would have what we have." They held on to each other as if their lives depended on it.

* * *

They finally made it out of bed, showered, and headed out for breakfast – or was it brunch? Sara suggested they eat at the coffee shop next to the restaurant they intended to go to the previous night. After they picked a table and sat down, the waitress took only a moment to appear and take their order.

"Excuse me," the waitress said with a sultry French accent, "Are you Bruce Wayne?"

_This is weird_, Sara thought. _We could be in the middle of Antarctica and he would be recognized._

"Yes, I am." Bruce tried to re-direct her attention by ordering. "We will both have salmon crepes and coffee."

"Excellent, Monsieur Wayne, I will be back in a moment."

Bruce felt embarrassed that the waitress flirted with him, and a little annoyed that she completely ignored Sara.

Sara, thoroughly amused, touched Bruce's arm and said in a sing-song voice, "Bruce has a girlfriend…" And then she cracked up.

"You're hilarious. I'm sorry, but that happens a lot. I don't think anything about it. Does it bother you?"

"Right now I think it's pretty funny, but I can see a time in the future where it might get to me. After all, you are _mine_."

"I am all yours. And you, my love, are mine." Bruce took Sara's hand and kissed it. The waitress showed up with the coffee, apparently displeased with their mutual show of affection. She placed the coffee on the table along with cream and sugar, and followed with a basket of freshly made croissants.

"Uh, oh – someone's jealous," Sara said seriously. "You'll have to make it up to her. Leave her a big tip." Sara couldn't keep a straight face for very long – she had to giggle at the entire situation. She wouldn't be surprised if her crêpe was poisoned.

"If you keep making jokes out of this, you will be in big trouble."

"Really? Is it good big trouble or bad big trouble?" Sara still looked very amused.

"Keep it up and you will find out." Bruce smiled and winked at her. Sara felt the butterflies flutter from her toes all the way to the top of her head.

After their meal, they walked around aimlessly - just talking and looking around the market place.

They stopped to buy some flowers, and Sara asked Bruce how they would handle their relationship when they returned to Gotham. There wasn't a snowflake's chance in hell that it would be a secret.

"Well, at first, people will stare at us and whisper to each other – that's easy to ignore. And then the press will follow us everywhere and try to get us to answer very personal questions. When we to ignore them, they will print ridiculously false things about our relationship. Oh – and fundraisers and formal events will be the worst – for you, I'm afraid. Those in the social scene know me well enough that they wouldn't dare ask me anything inappropriate. But they aren't very familiar with you yet, so you might run into some rude people. It depends on how much they have drunk." Bruce could tell Sara all about it because he had seen it and had been a part of it a million times.

"Ok, now you've got me nervous. I don't like being the center of attention, and this sounds like serious 'in-your-face' attention." Sara clearly looked uncertain.

"Don't get rattled by this – I will be by your side the entire time." Bruce wanted to re-assure Sara, but he knew he wouldn't always be there for her.

"You can't always be there, so I'll learn to deal with it myself. You may not have noticed, but I can be tough when the need arises."

"I've noticed. I thought that the man from the IRS was going to cry after you got done with him." Bruce smiled at the memory – he wished he had it on video.

"The government loves to try to nail large corporations for one violation or another. This guy started making accusations that he clearly just pulled out of his ass, and I called him on it. I bet they send someone else next year!" Sara was proud of the way she stood up for W.E. It wasn't just another company to her – now it was family.

"Oh - I forgot to tell you that my brother is visiting me next week. He can't wait to get to know you better."

Bruce replied, "That sounds great." _Oh, boy - let the games begin..._


	32. Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sara and Bruce decided to tell people about their engagement when they were back in Gotham so there would be no chance of a media leak. Once they made a formal announcement they would be free to show their relationship in public. But first, they wanted the important people in their lives to know.

When Sara walked into her apartment she ran for the phone and called Allison immediately.

"Hi Sara! How was your trip?"

"It was great – I have a surprise for you."

"And that would be…?"

"Bruce flew out there to see me, and he asked me to marry him!"

"I assume you said yes – if you didn't I'll have to come over there and beat you over the head!"

"I said yes." Sara had to hold the receiver about a foot away so Allison's scream wouldn't deafen her.

"How did he propose? Wait – I have a better question – why didn't you call me from France and tell me?" Allison sounded a little miffed.

"Believe me, Al, I wanted to. Bruce and I decided it was best if no one knew until we got back. I didn't even wear my engagement ring on the plane or on the way home."

"I am so happy for you!" Allison sounded like she was crying.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm just so thankful that after all you've been through you have found what you were looking for – you and Bruce deserve to be happy, and I know you will be."

Now Sara was tearing up. "Thank you – that means so much to me! I couldn't have gotten through the hard stuff without you, you know."

"I know I'm irreplaceable!"

"You absolutely are!" Sara told Allison how Bruce proposed, and how he had gone to Atlanta to ask Ryan's permission.

"You are kidding me, Sara – I can't believe he talked to Ryan! I bet he gave Bruce a hard time. I would've loved to hear that conversation."

"You have no idea – Ryan really hammed it up and got Bruce all nervous. He actually told Bruce he would 'call him when he made his decision.' He was screwing with him the entire time. But when Ryan called Bruce, he had already proposed to me. So Ryan acted all pissed off, then I yelled at Ryan, and finally the two of them talked and everything turned out ok."

"Good. Ok, now the really important questions: did you have sex, and how was it?"

"Only you get the info on this: yes, we did, and yes it was AMAZING. Amazing in a way that has completely re-defined the word. We had all this sexual energy building between us for months, and when it all came out – wow!"

"I'm going to throw up." Allison was faking jealousy.

"There is another fundraiser at Wayne Manor next Saturday. You should go – there are a lot of single men at these events…" Sara really didn't think Allison would meet anyone – most of the single guys were single **for a reason**. But it would be fun.

"Ok, I'll go, but you have to help me find a dress. I can't wait for you to point out all the weird…I mean, _eccentric_ rich people and hear all the gossip."

"Great! Oh – and Ryan will be there, so you already know three people who will be there. How about shopping on Thursday after work?"

"Thursday it is! Bye, Sara! And congratulations, again!"

"Thank you! I'll see you Thursday."

* * *

Bruce opened the door to Wayne Manor and called for Alfred.

"Master Wayne, welcome home. I see by the smile on your face that everything went well." Alfred was smiling, too.

"Alfred, I'm getting married."

"That is absolutely wonderful, Master Bruce!" Alfred reached out and gave Bruce a quick hug. Neither of them were used to expressing affection that way, but at that moment, both Alfred and Bruce felt it was completely natural. A proud father was embracing his son – they were both choked up.

"Where is Miss Sara? I want to give her my congratulations as well."

"Sara went back to her apartment. We want to avoid giving away clues to our status until we make an official announcement. Would you mind sending out a press release Wednesday morning?"

"I will have it faxed out first thing Wednesday, Sir. Have you spoken with your friend Mr. Blake?"

"No, but John and Mr. Fox are next on my list."

"I am sure they will be thrilled. Do either you or Miss Sara have any ideas about the wedding itself?"

"I think Sara wants to keep it small and then have a large party afterwards. What do you think?"

"Master Bruce, I think Miss Sara is very wise to keep the wedding attendees to a minimum. I am not saying it is possible, but perhaps we can think of a way to keep the ceremony a secret?"

"That would be perfect – if we can pull it off. Sara would love it."

* * *

When Sara and Bruce returned to work on Monday– separately, of course – they told Mr. Fox the good news.

"Congratulations to you both! This is the best news I've heard in a long time. I can't say it is a complete surprise - my wife has waited patiently, for the most part, for you to propose, Mr. Wayne. She predicted it when she first met you, Sara. I don't know how she knew, but she was sure it would happen."

"Mr. Fox, I brought you a gift. I didn't think you would like anything from France, so I made this for you last night." Sara picked up a cooler from just outside the office.

Mr. Fox didn't believe his eyes. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes, sir – homemade sweet iced tea. I knew you probably missed it."

Mr. Fox did a little dance and hugged Sara. "Thank you, Miss West. I know my wife will love it. We used to make it when we first moved to Gotham, but we just grew accustomed to the unsweetened tea. Actually, I think we started drinking more coke."

Bruce was a little confused. "What is the difference between that and regular iced tea with some sweet &amp; low?"

Sara and Mr. Fox gave each other a look that said, "He will never understand."

Sara and Bruce headed to their own offices after meeting with Mr. Fox. Everything needed to look completely normal.

Bruce called Sara on her cell as soon as he sat down at his desk.

"What are you wearing?"

Sara laughed, "You are such a cheese ball!"

"Don't you want to know what I am wearing?"

"I just saw you in your business suit five minutes ago."

"Yes, but I bet you didn't know that underneath I'm wearing nothing but a Speedo."

"No! That is not a good look on anyone."

"Ok, have it your way – the Speedo is off and now I have nothing on under my suit. Are you happy now?"

"I'd be very happy if we were completely alone." Sara sighed…

"Come over to the Manor after work. I know Alfred wants to see you, and we can spend some quality time together after dinner."

"That sounds wonderful, Mr. Wayne. Now I wish I didn't wear a sexy red bra and thong under my dress, but unfortunately I did – and now I'm overdressed."

Bruce's heart started to race. "I think we have different definitions of 'unfortunate,' Miss West."

* * *

Sara arrived at Wayne Manor around seven. When Alfred opened the door, Sara threw her arms around him. "I missed you, Alfred!"

"I missed you as well, Miss Sara. I couldn't be happier with the news!"

"Hey – remember me?" Bruce said as he walked out of the library.

"I think so –you were the cute guy I met in France, right? And I think you gave me some kind of jewelry…where did I put that? Ah! It's on my left hand. You have exquisite taste."

After their playful repartee, they kissed each other and went in the kitchen.

"Can I help you with something, Alfred?" Sara would never get used to just sitting in someone's kitchen while watching them work.

"No, Miss, I believe dinner is ready. I took the liberty of setting the table in the dining room. It lends itself to celebration far better than the kitchen."

Bruce led Sara to the dining room and pulled a chair out for her.

Sara admired the rich mahogany table and art work.

"Do you ever eat in here?"

"There is only Alfred and me. The kitchen made more sense."

"Now that there are three of us we can enjoy this room more often." Sara liked the idea of coming home every night to dinner with her husband.

"If you did have dinner here, would Alfred join you?"

Bruce shrugged. "I don't know. I can't remember the last time I was in here."

After dinner, Bruce wanted to take Sara upstairs, but Sara told him that there was something she wanted to do first.

"Is it more important than seducing your future husband with red lingerie?"

"Actually it is. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you, too."

"You wanted me to be surprised, _too_?"

Sara walked toward the kitchen and called for Alfred.

"Yes, Miss Sara, how I be of service?"

Bruce was standing beside Sara not knowing what to expect.

"When I was in France, I bought gifts for all of my friends. Since I consider you a friend, I found this for you." Sara handed Alfred a lovely wrapped box.

"I have no idea what she's up to, Alfred. Let that be my disclaimer – just in case." Bruce laughed, and Sara elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Both Sara and Alfred laughed at Bruce's reaction. Batman wouldn't have even noticed the jab.

"Miss Sara, there is no need to buy me gifts. However, I admit that I am touched that you thought of me." Alfred carefully opened the box. Inside, he found an exceptionally handsome watch accompanied by a note. As he read the note, tears came to his eyes. He looked at Bruce and Sara and read the card aloud.

_Dear Alfred,_

_I don't know how to express my endless admiration for you. After one tragic night, you found yourself raising a young boy - a boy you had loved since hearing his first cries. You have been a loving and faithful guardian to Bruce. In fact, you have been much more than that. I believe Thomas and Martha wanted you to raise Bruce for a reason – they knew without any doubt that you would care for him as your own._

_After agreeing - very happily - to be Bruce's wife, I realized there was someone else who had become very important to me._

_Alfred, with all of my heart, will you do me the honor of being my father-in-law?_

_With much love,_

_Sara_

Alfred's voice cracked as he read the last part of the note. Then Alfred took Sara's hand and said, "Miss Sara, I believe there would be no greater honor than being your father-in-law. And it is with great pride that I may call you my daughter." Alfred kissed Sara's hand and they embraced with tears rolling down their cheeks.

Bruce was speechless. Alfred was always a father to him. He suspected that it was Alfred's deep respect for his father that kept him from fully taking on that identity. When Alfred turned to Bruce, they both tried to speak, but couldn't. How could Bruce ever tell Alfred the love and respect he had for him? He owed him everything. Mere words could never do the past thirty years justice. Bruce turned to Sara and wiped away her tears. He loved this woman. She had befriended him, accepted him, and loved him. And now she had given him back what he thought was gone forever: his family.


	33. Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

After Alfred excused himself to go to bed, Bruce and Sara went into the library to talk privately.

"You know, we haven't been together since France." Bruce ran his hands through her silky hair and placed delicate kisses on her neck.

"I know – I miss you." Sara kissed Bruce as her hands ran up and down his back.

A second later Sara's cell phone rang. She saw that it was Mr. Fox. She couldn't ignore it.

"Hello, Mr. Fox. How can I help you?"

"I know your personal life has been distracting, so I guessed you needed reminding about the Corporate Finance conference you are attending tomorrow night. I took the liberty of having your secretary draw up a brief outline to help you prepare your speech on the flight over."

"Oh, my goodness – I'm so glad you called. I did forget about that. Thank you for helping me get ready for the conference. You are a lifesaver!" Sara couldn't believe she forgot about this. But then again, she was absorbed in other - more exciting - things. Sara pulled up her schedule and saw that her flight to San Diego was for the next morning at 9:30am.

"Don't tell me…just don't tell me." Bruce was clearly frustrated. "Do you have to go to this thing? You know you'll be bored out of your mind."

"I really do – I am one of the speakers, and I am leading two workshops on Wednesday. I'm so sorry, but I need to go home and pack."

"I could go with you and help you pack…"

"Bruce, when was the last time you packed your own suitcase?" Sara laughed at the look of guilt on his face. "Don't you think you might sidetrack me just a little?"

"Ok, since I can't win on that front, at least let me drive you home."

"On one condition – you drop me off in front of my building and not follow me in. You know I can't resist you. And you can't resist me. So let's not take the chance – not tonight. When I get back I promise you I will reward you for your patience," Sara gave Bruce a wicked smile.

"I like the sound of that. I won't be able to focus on anything else."

Bruce dropped her off as promised and drove home in a bad mood. _I will have to tell Alfred not to send out the press release until Thursday morning. This is what I get for having an invaluable CFO._

* * *

Sara was the first to speak on Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, that meant having to sit through the other speeches. She tried to take notes, but her mind was on Bruce. More specifically, their love-making in France. She loved the way he wrapped his arms around her gently, and how he could be 'not so gentle' when necessary. _Sara, focus on the speeches – you will need this information for the workshops tomorrow._

When the afternoon program wrapped up, Sara headed back to her hotel planning on ordering room service for dinner. As she approached the hotel, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss West, but I wanted to tell you how inspirational I found your speech. I can only hope that my financial staff learned something. I have a feeling I might be looking for a new CFO soon."

"Thank you - it's nice to know that I wasn't just talking to the air. I'm sorry, but you look familiar. Have we met?"

"I don't think so. My name is Lex Luthor."


	34. Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

Sara was exhausted when she stepped on the plane. She slept through all six hours of the flight.

Once Sara was in a cab on the way home, she called Bruce.

"Hi, I'm back in town!"

"Can I come over now?"

"Yes – I missed you so much! The cab is dropping me off now. I can't wait to see you!" Sara walked into her apartment and went to her bedroom to unpack.

She gasped in surprise - Bruce was lying in her bed waiting for her.

"Sorry, but I couldn't wait," Bruce said as he climbed out of bed with only his boxer briefs on. He grabbed Sara and kissed her like he was going to swallow her whole. Their need for each other was desperate.

"I had such a long, tiring day. I would really like to take a shower." Sara rubbed and kissed his chest.

"Would you like some company?" Bruce was already undressing her.

"Oh, yes…"

The water was the perfect temperature as they stepped in and washed each other - hungrily feeling every inch of their wet bodies. When Sara tilted her head back to wet her hair, Bruce took advantage of her beautiful breasts. Knowing how sensitive her nipples were, Bruce hoped she might orgasm. Instead, Sara pushed Bruce against the shower wall, and slowly began to kiss him down his body. Bruce shivered for a moment when he realized what was about to happen.

He began to moan the moment she put him in her mouth. Sara took her time – she wanted Bruce to enjoy every second. But she got so turned on by his reaction that she started to speed up.

"Oh, Sara – don't stop – oh, god, you are good – this is so good." Bruce gently took her head and began pushing himself in deeper and faster. He was careful not to gag her – he wanted her to enjoy this, too.

Bruce was panting. "Yeah, oh Sara – I'm coming!"

Afterwards, Bruce had trouble standing up. "Wow," Bruce said as he blinked his eyes to clear his vision. He took Sara's hand and turned off the water. "Now I want you on your bed."

Bruce and Sara pleasured each other all night. They brought each other higher and higher each time until they fell asleep from exhaustion. The ringing of Bruce's cell phone woke them up.

"Master Wayne, I sent out the press release this morning as we discussed, and I must admit I didn't expect this sort of reaction. According to the news there is a mob of reporters gathered at the entrance of Miss Sara's apartment building. They are also outside Wayne Enterprises. Thankfully our security here at Wayne Manor has kept them off the property. How soon should I have the car in front of the building?"

"I will call you when we are ready. Thank you, Alfred."

Bruce called Mr. Fox to let him know he and Sara would not be in the office anytime soon.

Mr. Fox was watching the news. "I can't say I blame you. Hopefully this will die down in a few days. In the meantime, do your best to ignore all this nonsense."

Sara got up to make coffee. "I guess the floodgates have opened."

Bruce walked over to her and kissed her on the top of her head.

"I think the entire city is crazy. Alfred will bring the car around when we are ready." Bruce was a little anxious. He didn't want Sara hurt in the crowd.

"What did we expect?" Sara kissed her fiancé. "You were the most eligible bachelor on the planet! I'm sure there are tears flowing all over the..." Sara suddenly jumped. "What the hell is that?"

"_That_ is a mass of reporters getting ready to storm your door. This is bullshit. I'm calling Gordon."

Commissioner Gordon was already taking action. Bruce and Sara listened as the Commissioner and Detective Blake broke up the crowd and threatened to arrest any member of the press caught loitering in the building or attempting to approach Miss West or Mr. Wayne.

Sara held on to Bruce. "We should get ready to go."

"I'm going to call Gordon's cell so he and John can escort us out of the building."

When Bruce and Sara arrived at the Manor, they were pleasantly surprised to see that Alfred had prepared a large breakfast. After eating, Bruce and Sara went upstairs to take a nap. Alfred would handle any calls - or let voicemail take care of them.

* * *

After a long nap, Sara and Bruce went downstairs to Bruce's office to see who had tried to contact them. Sara looked at her phone and saw that Ryan called and had left her a message to call him back.

Sara pushed a button on her cell. "Hey, Ryan!"

"Hey – so you haven't been eaten alive by the press? I can't believe the news of one man getting engaged has caused this pandemonium. Where are you?"

"Bruce and I are at the Manor. The police had to keep my front door from being torn down. We had to get out of there. There is so much security here that we shouldn't be bothered, so you don't have to worry."

Ryan was relieved. "Good – you stay there for a couple of days to let this thing simmer down a bit. And don't worry about me coming to Gotham this week. I have changed my plans and will be there Monday afternoon."

"Thanks for worrying about me. Even though you are a freak show, I still love you!" Sara was glad her brother called. He always knew when she needed to talk to him.

"Leave it to you – the pain in the ass – to make me lose sleep. I love you, too. I'll see you next week. Call me if anything happens before then."

Sara hung up her phone and walked over to Bruce.

"I just spoke with Ryan. He will be coming on Monday instead of this week."

"Smart man. There are a few calls I need to return. What are you planning to do?"

"I will be in the library - where else?"

Bruce embraced Sara and said, "I will join you as soon as I can. Thank you for putting up with all of this. I love you."

"I love you too, honey. Dealing with this frenzy is worth it knowing I will be your wife soon."

Bruce's last call was to Lex Luther.

"Bruce! Thanks for calling me back. I want to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding. I had no idea – in fact, most people are surprised to hear the news."

"I appreciate you calling, Lex. I am, without a doubt, the luckiest man alive."

"I agree. Sara is not only very beautiful, but she is probably the most intelligent person I know. Well, after myself, of course," Lex laughed at his weak attempt at humor.

"I didn't know you and Sara met. When was this?" Bruce was a little annoyed that Sara didn't mention anything.

"We met a couple of days ago at the conference in San Diego. I was there with my CFO and a few other employees. That department is having some issues, and I plan to look for a new CFO soon. Too bad you already have the ideal person for the job or I would be going after her. And you know I usually get what I want." Lex couldn't hide the fact that he was envious of Bruce – probably because he rarely envied anyone.

"Yes, that is too bad. But I have her, and I don't plan to let her go – either as an employee or as my fiancée." Bruce said this lightly and chuckled, hoping to keep the conversation from getting even more uncomfortable.

Lex responded in kind. "Well, old friend, please pass my congratulations along to your bride-to-be. I look forward to seeing her again."

"I most certainly will." Bruce hung up and headed for the library. Lex always made him paranoid - which was appropriate considering the numerous times he tried to go behind Bruce's back. If Lex was planning something that would include Sara, Bruce wouldn't waste any time showing Lex his mistake. And he would do it in such a way that Lex would never forget it.

Bruce was on his way to see Sara when he saw Alfred hurriedly walking toward him.

"Master Bruce, I have been on the phone with your friend John Blake for the last hour. I'm afraid I have some disturbing news. According to Detective Blake, the police are trying to get information on at least six death threats made since your engagement was announced this morning."

"Alfred, you know that I've received dozens of threats from the nuts out there. Most just want to spook me, and the others are trying to get money. Nothing ever comes of these things."

"But Master Wayne, you are not the target. These threats are against Miss Sara."


	35. Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Bruce walked into the library, and Sara's face immediately lit up.

"Oh, good - you're off the phone! Now we can spend some _personal _time together." Sara gave him a goofy wink trying to make him smile. But Bruce was in no mood to smile.

"Actually, I would like to go upstairs. I need to talk to you where we won't be disturbed."

"I'm not sure what to think of the look on your face. Are you angry about something?" Sara knew Bruce could get a little sensitive sometimes. She had ticked him off before without knowing it – ironically, Batman was the sensitive type.

"We just need to discuss some things." With that Bruce headed up the stairs while Sara followed with trepidation.

Bruce and Sara sat on the bed in silence for about five minutes. Sara couldn't take it any longer.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something. What is it? Maybe I can help."

"I don't know how to say this. Alfred stopped me on the way to the library to tell me that since our engagement was announced, the police have received death threats, and they have made it clear that you are the target. I'm sorry, Sara. I'm so sorry this is happening."

"You're kidding. Death threats against _me_?"

"Yes. Believe me – I wish it was the other way around. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." Bruce embraced Sara like he would never have another chance. "Sara – you are acting eerily calm. What's going on in your head?" Bruce was expecting her to be in tears.

"I'm trying to think this through. Just give me a minute." Sara got up and began pacing the room.

"Sara, if you are worried or scared, I understand. But you know what I'm capable of – you know I can keep you safe."

Sara sat back down next to Bruce and held his hand. "I know that, Bruce. I know you would do anything to keep me from getting hurt. But I don't think you will have to. I don't think this is a matter of someone wanting me dead. I think these threats are meant to split us apart. What was your main fear as Batman? You were afraid to let people too close to you. You knew if your identity was revealed that their lives would be at stake. Unfortunately, something happened. Rachel died and you have carried that guilt on your shoulders since that night. Alfred and I have told you again and again that the guilt you feel is inappropriate. You are not to blame in any way for her death. But there is someone else who knows what happened. There is someone who knows that the underlying fear you had as Batman is still there."

Bruce looked down at Sara's hand and whispered, "Selina."

"I think we both know that she isn't out to kill me. But she does know how you work inside. She knows your weaknesses. I believe she is behind most of these threats so she can have another chance with you. Sure, there may be a crazy trust-fund chic out there who has always dreamed of being Mrs. Wayne, but that situation exists only in the realm of the possible – not the probable. The only other person I can think of that may have a dog in this fight is your friend, Lex Luther."

"I just spoke with him this morning. He told me that he met you at the conference a few days ago. At the time I was a little put off that you hadn't mentioned it. But I became distracted by more important things."

"I didn't say anything because it didn't mean anything to me until now. When I spoke with him he mentioned that he is looking for a new CFO."

"He mentioned that to me, too. That son-of-a-bitch thinks he owns the world and everyone in it. Did he say anything else to you?"

"He asked me to have dinner with him. I of course turned him down on the basis that I was seeing someone and that since this was a business related setting – and we did not have business to discuss – it would be inappropriate. I seriously doubt he wants me dead either, but if you and I were married, he knows there would be a very slim chance that I would quit the company I owned. He probably has a gut instinct that you have suffered a great deal of loss and wouldn't be willing to risk anymore. Um…off the subject, were you jealous?"

"No – not at all. I just don't appreciate other men taking such an obvious interest in my fiancée." Bruce got up, took off his shirt, and started to knock out about fifty push-ups - no doubt to work off a little stress. Sara watched his muscles work and realized that not even a death threat could distract her from his physique. There was nothing finer.

Once Bruce finished he put his shirt back on and said, "Anyway, back to the threats - I think you are right. It does seem highly unlikely that your life is in jeopardy. But that doesn't mean you aren't staying here for another week. After that, I'll stay at your place. In other words, you won't be able to get rid of me. I'm here for good."

"So this means that you won't tell Alfred to call in the Marines and Special Forces to guard the castle?"

"Well, not yet, anyway. However, I can promise extra security here, at your apartment, and at W.E."

"What about Ryan? He will be here Monday. I don't think we should tell him about the death threats. Knowing him, he'd pack me up and have me on a one-way flight back to Atlanta."

"We have a few days to figure that out." Bruce checked that the door was locked. In case she didn't already know, he was going to show Sara how much he loved her in the most passionate way he knew how.

* * *

After dinner, Sara told Bruce that she would need to pick up some clothes from her apartment if she would be staying with him for a while. He was hesitant at first, but then agreed only if she allowed Alfred to drive her and bring her back. She might as well go that night.

When she arrived at her apartment, there was a policeman standing outside Sara's door.

"Hi Officer Miller, how are you tonight?"

"Just fine, ma'am. Will you be here for the evening?"

"No – I'm just picking some things up to take back to the manor. Bruce and I really appreciate all of you standing guard, so to speak. Nothing weird has happened, I'm guessing?"

"No – everything is as it should be. We have a female officer go into your apartment twice a day to make sure everything is fine."

"Thank you, again. I should only be a few minutes."

Sara packed her toiletries, clothes, her iPod, and her Kindle (not that Wayne Manor's library didn't provide enough reading material, it did lack the "Chic Lit" that she occasionally found entertaining. Bruce made fun of that, but all she had to do was give him the Wall Street Journal and force him to read it all the way through. Sure it was interesting at first, but then he gave in and chose a favorite Lord Peter Mystery novel instead.

Sara was just closing her suitcase when she heard Officer Miller's voice calling out to her. She had a guest and he wanted to make sure he had her permission to allow this person to enter.

Sara went to the front door and couldn't believe her eyes.

"It's ok, Officer Miller."

"Alright, Miss West – but I will be right outside this door if you need me. Sara nodded.

"Hi Sara – I know it's been a while."

"Brian – what are you doing here?"


	36. Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty Six

"I heard that you and Wayne are getting married. I had to talk to you."

Sara was still reeling from the fact that Brian was actually here in her apartment. She had nothing to say. She crossed her arms and waited.

"Sara, you can't marry him. I don't know what he did to convince you that he was the right guy for you, but he isn't. He's a player – and once a player, always a player." Brian said this with an air of authority. He acted like he knew her better than she knew herself.

"You can't be serious. You screw around with another woman, get her pregnant, marry her, and now you have the nerve to question Bruce's character? Don't you need to be home with your wife and kid now? Does she know where you are?"

"Jen and I are divorced. It became final a few weeks ago. I wanted to call you then, but I thought it was too soon."

Sara couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Brian, I may not be the world's greatest detective, but this isn't very hard to figure out. You got divorced – assumedly because you were both unhappy for some reason. Then it occurred to you that you still love me. Unfortunately for you, I fell in love with someone else, and now you are here to convince me that you and I belong together. You _really_ believe that?" Sara started to think Brian was losing his mind. Was it possible to have early onset dementia at his age?

"You have to understand - I never wanted to marry her. But when she got pregnant I felt like I had no other choice. I was trapped. It turned out that she didn't want to marry me, either – she just didn't want to be a single mother. A few months ago she started to see some guy. She would even bring Kevin over to his place so they could get to know each other. At first I was hurt, but it was only my pride that was injured. I had been a fool. I was angry at myself for the stupid things I had done. I felt like I ruined my life when I decided to leave you, Sara. I can't tell you how much I regret it. And, yes, I still love you. I never stopped, even when I was pretending to have another life. You were the one I always wanted to marry. Please, please, Sara – leave Bruce. I know what I did hurt you terribly, but I'm afraid he will hurt you even more."

Sara's phone rang – it was Alfred. Sara forgot that he was waiting downstairs with the car.

"Miss Sara, is everything alright? I certainly don't mean to hurry you, but I began to get a little worried."

"No, Alfred, everything is not alright. My ex-boyfriend decided to show up and try to talk me out of marrying Bruce. I'll need a few more minutes, Alfred, and then I will be down."

Brian was walking around the room – he couldn't look at her. He didn't want to give up even though it was clear that Sara did not want to be with him.

"Brian, we both know that it is completely over between us. I am not going to stand here and defend myself or Bruce to you. You need to go figure out what you are doing with your life. Where do you stand with your son? Are you going to allow another man to step into your role as Kevin's father? You and Jen may be over, but he will always be your son. I know you well enough to believe that you love him and would never want to lose him. Being here with me is not exactly starting off on the right foot. Go home." Sara felt sorry for him – he was completely lost. But she was not the one who would help him find his way.

Brian took a few steps toward her and ran his hand gently down her cheek before quietly leaving. For a moment Sara thought of how she felt when they were together. She thought she had found the man she would marry - the man she would love until the day she died. She could have married Brian, and they probably would have been happy. But then she remembered something she once heard someone say: "_Don't marry the person you can live with; marry the person you can't live without."_ Sara grabbed her bag, locked her door, and ran to the elevator. She didn't want to waste one more second before she could be with him – the one she couldn't live without.

Alfred smiled as he opened the door for Sara. The look of joy on her face told him everything. He drove her back to Bruce as quickly as possible.

Sara walked into the manor and went looking for Bruce. She found him in the library talking to John Blake. When they saw her they became quiet. Bruce stands and embraces Sara as he and John tell her there has been a new death threat. Bruce is obviously nervous and shaken up.

"So what is different about this one? I hope you are not taking any of these too seriously. I honestly believe that my life is not in danger. Bruce – you even agreed with me. What is going on?"

Neither Bruce nor John wanted to tell Sara what they knew, because if it was true, Sara would be dead within forty-eight hours.


	37. Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Where is he?" Sara hadn't heard anything about him in a long time.

"No asylum could hold him, so we transferred him upstate to a maximum security prison. The area is known as 'Little Siberia.' He is also dying, stage-four lung cancer. Why he would choose this time and you, Sara, seems ridiculous to me. And this 48 hour timeline has to be bullshit. I think he will try to make good on his threat, but the Joker likes to toy with people first – make them sweat." John had to explain the situation to Sara. Bruce was so angry he was shaking; he couldn't speak.

"I need to call my brother. He'll come right away."

John looked concerned. "Are you sure you want to drag him into this?"

"John, Ryan is my family. If something is going to happen to me then I need to see him. And he would want to be here. I don't want him getting a phone call. That's not fair to him." Sara went to Bruce's bedroom so she could have some privacy.

"Bruce, we know he's not coming himself. He still has a lot of 'friends.' After all that time working with the mob, he managed to siphon some of their money to make a nice little nest egg. I'm sure he is offering a large amount of money to whoever can complete this task. It's his last shot at revenge before cancer takes him. Look, I know you are scared and angry…"

"You're damn right I'm scared and angry! He has taken so much away from me already – I won't let him take Sara. I don't care what I have to do – all of my 'rules' are off the table." Bruce had murder in his eyes – a raw, base emotion that was new to him. He had been angry with the Joker before – it took every ounce of strength not to kill him for what happened to Rachel. But this was even more intense. And John saw the difference. Bruce had become an extremely dangerous man - far more dangerous than Batman.

After John left, Bruce went to see Sara. She was sitting on the bed, not moving, just staring off into space.

"Did you call Ryan? Did you tell him why you wanted him here so urgently?"

"No, I couldn't tell him. When he finds out, he will want a full explanation – that will have to take place in person. He was planning on visiting me in the next couple of days, anyway, so I made up some story about needing him here for wedding arrangements or something. I don't remember what I said, but he is getting on the first flight tomorrow morning. I told him to come straight here to Wayne Manor – I hope you don't mind."

Bruce sat down and put his arm around her. "Of course not, sweetie. You look pale. Are you hungry? Alfred can make up some dinner in a flash."

"No thank you. I think I'm going to spend some time in your music room. I saw a couple of acoustic guitars in there. Singing makes me feel like I will be ok – I'm in a little cocoon, alone with the music. Everything else melts away – at least for a little while." Before leaving, Sara gave Bruce a small smile and a peck on the cheek.

* * *

A few minutes later she was sitting on a bench in the middle of the room, making sure the guitar was in tune. She wasn't sure how well she could play – it had been awhile. The song she needed came to her and she began.

Come into my world  
Come crashing through the ceiling  
and find the messy rooms, the scattered pearls  
If you are brave then come into my world

Come into my world  
So lovely from the outside  
So dark in here the demons dance and twirl  
And find their pleasure frightening this girl  
If you are brave then come into my world

Come into my world  
I cannot find the doorway  
It's overgrown with vines that twist and curl  
If you are brave then come into my world

Come into my world  
There'll be no other invitation  
Not another sound, another word  
Nothing more than you've already heard  
If you are brave then come into my world

Please be brave and come into my world*

Bruce stood outside the door and listened as she played and thought to himself, _I'll be brave for you, Sara. I will always be here. I love you._

* * *

*Author's note: this song is "Come into My World" by Amy Grant.


	38. Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty Eight

The night was uneventful. Bruce knew Sara was distracted and tired, so he didn't try to romance her. They just went to sleep.

The next morning when Ryan arrived, Bruce and Sara were in the library. Each had a book in front of them, but neither was reading. The tension in the air was too thick.

Alfred came into the room and announced Ryan's arrival. Sara jumped out of her seat and ran to hug him. She had tears in her eyes, and Ryan knew they were not 'happy' tears, but tears of concern and anxiety.

Bruce stood up and shook Ryan's hand. "I'm glad you could make it. I know it is a relief to Sara to have you here."

Alfred interrupted for just a minute. "Master Ryan, may I get something for you to drink or eat? I know you had an early flight and probably missed breakfast."

"I would love some orange juice if you have it. Is it ok for me to take it in here?"

"Of course, Master Ryan - that would be no trouble at all."

After Alfred left, Ryan said to Bruce, "Alfred is amazing."

"Even though He raised me, he refuses to call me Bruce because, according to his training, it would be improper. And he wouldn't hand over his position as 'Butler" to anyone. He is convinced they would make a holy mess." Bruce and Ryan laughed. Ryan could tell Alfred loved what he did, and had no intention of retiring. Sara was the only one not laughing. She sat on the sofa lost in thought.

Ryan sat down next to his sister. "I can tell something is bothering you. Are you going to tell me or will I have to pry it out of you?"

Sara looked at Bruce. They had agreed that Bruce would tell him about the situation.

"Ryan, I don't want you to panic. We have things in place to provide security."

"Wait – security? Is my sister in danger?"

"Let me explain," Bruce took a deep breath. He wasn't sure how Ryan would react, but he knew that Ryan's reaction would be completely directed at him.

"When Sara and I announced our engagement, there were mixed reactions from the people in Gotham. Most have been positive and encouraging. Unfortunately, some were not. The police received a few death threats involving Sara. Let me finish – please. These threats were run of the mill threats that I have received in the past. They were either from the nut jobs out there, or some socialite who was convinced that she would marry me some day. None of these threats were serious. Not one of these people wanted to harm Sara – they simply wanted to test us to see if we broke up under the pressure. However, we recently recieved a threat that we have to take seriously. We have not revealed any of this to the press. I assume you have heard of the Joker."

Ryan stood up and walked right in front of Bruce.

"Are you are telling me that a serial killer who dresses like a deranged clown wants to kill my sister?" Ryan really started to heat up. "From the beginning of this, Sara has been mercilessly hounded by the press. She can't live in her own apartment, and she can't to go to work. Now, a sick man wants her dead. Is this the same Joker who killed Rachel?"

Bruce looked down and answered, "Yes."

Ryan completely lost his cool. "Wayne, ever since my sister got involved with you, she has put up with nothing but crap. She now has to fear for her life!"

Ryan grabbed Bruce by the collar and threw him against the wall.

"What the hell have you gotten her into Wayne? This is bullshit! You say you love her, and then put her in dangerous situations! That's it – Sara, we are leaving. I'll make sure you are safe. Wayne can fend for himself."

"Ryan, I don't want to leave. I want to face this thing head-on. The Joker is dying – he probably won't live out the week. He is sending the few thugs who will still work for him to do this job. There is a great detail of security here. I will be safe."

"No, Sara, you won't. Wayne is a danger magnet and you can't be around him."

Now Sara was angry. "You obviously don't know that I have the final say in this. I know you are angry and afraid. We all are. But refusing to allow Bruce and me to be together is not the answer."

"The hell it isn't! I'm going to take you somewhere safe. Pack your bags and let's go."

Sara led Ryan up the stair case to her room. It was clear that she and Bruce were sharing Bruce's room, but there was no time for Sara to get embarrassed about it. Once they were in the room with the door locked, Sara attempted to put some sense into her brother.

"Ryan, I know you want me out of here, but you of all people should know that I don't run away from things. If I don't face this with everything I've got, I will either die or be unable to live with myself. Frankly, I would prefer the former if it comes to that."

"Well, I wouldn't. I want you alive, and I am not going to risk your life because one asshole wants you dead and another asshole thought nothing about placing you in hazardous situations."

"None of this is Bruce's fault, Ryan. He can't do anything about his family's name. He is a Wayne. He will always attract a certain amount of attention from the press and the people in this city. Bruce loves me deeply. I know he would rather take everything off my shoulders and put them on his if he could."

"Wayne isn't to blame? Let me ask you this: why the hell would the Joker target you? I believe it has something to do with Mr. Wayne. And I think you know what it is. If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself. Either way, you are coming with me now."

Sara wasn't sure what to say. In order to fully explain why this is happening, she would have to tell Ryan that Bruce was Batman. She decided to give him a slightly true answer and then get him thinking of a plan.

"He knows that Wayne Enterprises supplied Batman with certain equipment he needed. I don't know now that relates to this. What I do know is that I am not leaving Bruce. If I do, I need a good reason, and I will promise him that I will return. What can we do? I want to take action. If the threat is against me, I want to face the people coming after me. What if they try to hurt Bruce or Alfred? We can't abandon them."

"Damn it, Sara – why the hell are you so stubborn? What kind of 'action' do you plan to take?"

Sara suddenly had an idea. "Ryan, do you remember those summers we spent with Uncle Matt?"

"Of course I do. We had such a great time learning to shoot those military weapons he used when he was in the Special Forces. He would set up all of these cool target ranges. Wait a minute – you aren't thinking of going after these guys with guns? Number one: we haven't gone shooting in at least twenty years, and number two: how would we even get a hold of those things?"

"We wouldn't be using those exact weapons – we would have to have weapons that have been re-designed to some extent. We wouldn't want to kill anyone, but we do want to incapacitate them."

"Sara, I don't know why you are thinking about this. It is ridiculous. How could we possibly acquire these 'magic guns?'"

"I think I know just the person to talk to. If we can safely leave here and get to W.E., I think we can get what we need." Sara smiled.


	39. Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Sara, I know you want all this to end, but you need to think rationally. We are not going on the rooftop of Wayne Manor sniping everyone. We will leave that to the _actual trained police snipers_. Are we on the same page, now?"

"Yes… I'm sorry. You're right – I feel like I don't know my own mind right now."

"It's ok – It would be hard to be clear-headed in this situation. Where did you say the Joker is?"

Sara replied, "He is an inmate at a maximum security prison six hours north from here. To accommodate his treatments, his cell has been transformed to a make-shift hospital room."

"How does he have access to the outside world? I know he won't have a phone in the room and cell phones are confiscated during arrival. He must have someone on the inside who is acting as the middle man."

"Ryan, I think we need to go up there. The prison is the last place anyone would look for me or Bruce. I need to see him and try to make sense out of…I don't know…him, maybe?"

"Sara, it's going to be a huge risk. We don't know what kind of security he has. I doubt we will be able to simply walk in there."

"That's why we need some help. First of all, we need to verify by a source we trust that he is dying. Bruce has done exhaustive research on him. The Joker has died more than a handful of times. But he keeps showing up. There are people who will swear that they saw his body."

"Sara, it is incredibly hard to fake Stage IV lung cancer. But I will call a colleague and ask if he would be willing to do a consultation with his doctors. Now, I'm not saying your first idea had merit, but if we are going to face this man, we will need to be armed. Our only chance is if Gordon was allowed to remain armed. He is on record as one of the high-ranking officials who put the Joker in there. Also, we can't drive – there is too much of a chance that we would be followed or tracked. We will have to fly, and the last time I checked, guns are not welcome in airports."

Sara went straight for her cell phone. While dialing, she whispered to Ryan that she will try getting Bruce's plane.

Sara called the airport and spoke with Bruce's private pilot about the use of the jet.

"Of course Mr. Wayne would approve this. I believe he told all of his employees to treat me as you would him: all of his possessions should be considered mine as well. He doesn't need to sign off on anything. And since it is a surprise, I would rather he not know. We will be there on time. Thank you so much!" Sara hung up. She gave Ryan the thumbs up sign as he called his friend.

Ryan started to dial. "I'll try to get Dr. Ross on the phone. He can call the prison and say that he wanted to consult on the Joker's case since it is so unusual. No one will question him – he's the best oncologist in the country."

"As for our 'gun problem,' I think I should call Jim Gordon. But he might be tough to convince. And since our 'story' involves going to W.E., I better call Mr. Fox so he can deal with Bruce when he arrives."

"He and Alfred are supposed to stay in the bat cave."

"I know, but he will want to be with me." Sara said with a hint of sadness.

Sara made two more calls. She looked at her brother to see if he was still talking.

Ryan hung up his phone. "Dr. Ross will meet us there. Did you talk to Gordon and Fox?"

"Yes, Gordon and another officer will meet us on the tarmac at 4:00pm, so we better get moving. Since Bruce is likely to show up, Mr. Fox can distract him. Gordon and the younger officer will have clearance to carry their guns on board. In fact, Gordon has met the pilot many times."

"Ok, Sara – if you're ready we should go."

"I just want to talk to Bruce for a minute"

Bruce watched as Ryan carried Sara's bag down the staircase.

"She wants to talk to you." Ryan walked to his rental car to load the luggage.

Sara heard a faint knock on the door.

She pulled herself together before saying, "Come in."

Bruce stood in the doorway not knowing what he should do. This is Sara, not a precious china doll he had to keep from breaking. He gazed out a window for a few minutes until he thought of what to say.

"The Joker knows my alias. My first thought was that he was trying to take someone important from me again – making you the last addition to his legacy. I never believed he would come after me."

"I don't understand. I am the one he wants dead."

Bruce sat down next to Sara and told her about the night Rachel died.

"The Joker and I were in an interrogation room. We had this 'conversation.' It scared me when I found myself actually listening to what he had to say. Years later, when I locked myself up in Wayne Manor, that conversation haunted me. I spent months analyzing it. I came to the conclusion that he thinks we are somehow connected. A kind of symbiotic relationship taken too far. He is under the delusion that neither of us could exist without the other. Now that he is dying, he doesn't want to lose that connection. That is why he targeted you. He knows I would give my life for you."

Sara held Bruce's hand and looked into his eyes. "We are going to get through this." Sara wasn't sure he believed her. Maybe he was thinking of how he couldn't save Rachel, even though it wasn't his fault. "Bruce, we still have options. We don't have to be sitting ducks." Sara spoke gently to him while holding his hand tight.

"The thing is, Ryan was right. I can't protect you, and you are in this situation because of me. For the first time in a long time I feel out-of-control. All I know is that I can't be without you, Sara. I love you more than anything in the world. Whatever happens, come back to me." Bruce gave her a kiss full of passion.

"Somehow, it will be ok. It has to be because I can't be without you, either."

For a moment, Bruce's face reflected a vulnerability Sara didn't expect.

"This will end. I promise you." She gave Bruce a quick kiss before she and Ryan drove away. Alfred walked up to Bruce. "Master Bruce, I have some things packed for you. When do you plan on leaving for W.E.?"

"I'm ready now. I need to talk to Lucius. After you drop me off you need to go directly to the manor and get in the Bat cave.

"What about Miss Sara? Don't you want to be with her during this horrible time?"

"Believe me, I want to. But something tells me she is not going to be at W.E. She's smart – sometimes too smart for her own good. She and Ryan have other plans."

At the local airport Sara, Ryan, Jim Gordon, and officer Reece boarded Bruce's private jet. When they were in the air they exchanged notes on the Joker.

They realized something. During the time they spent researching, they never came up with a good reason to be there. Dr. Ross wouldn't have any trouble. Gordon and his officer could be there to check the Joker's health status. But Ryan and Sara? Gordon would have to vouch for them. He could say that they were friends of the Joker in high school and wanted to say goodbye. Everything had to be not only believable, but also collaborate with the information in the prison system.

After landing, the group had their minds on doing the impossible - con their way into one of the country's most infamous maximum security prisons.


	40. Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty:

The group walked into the waiting room of the small municipal airport. They had to wait for Dr. Ross' plane to arrive and then they could smooth out the fine details.

When Dr. Ross arrived, Sara took charge of the meeting.

"Ok, Dr. Ross let's start with you. Did you call the prison a head of time?"

"Yes. I explained that I would like to meet the Joker's doctors because it is such an unusual case. I also called the hospital, and they were fine with me taking a couple of days off. I also informed the warden and the CEO of the hospital who I planned to take with me: a pediatric specialist whose experience with cancer is currently limited to children. Ryan, that means you will be with me the entire time. Can you do that?"

Ryan didn't plan on being separated from Sara, but he knew they must have a flawless appearance. He had no doubt that they would be watched closely.

"Commissioner, you may or may not be allowed to take your weapons inside the prison. If you are, we will have to find a way for you to slip one of the 9mm pistols to me. I know the Joker hardly poses a threat to me at this point, but I would like to be armed just in case."

"I know these guys at the prison. I would be very surprised if they let me past the front gate with a weapon. They know me and know that I'm not going to cause trouble, but they have rules in place. That's what makes them an airtight facility. I'll tell them that I have heard the Joker was dying, and had to check on his status myself. I'll be there to get a report on the joker, and to give you, Sara, peace of mind. I'm glad you gave up the idea of acting as 'old friends' of the Joker. No one would believe he ever had friends."

Ryan asked Sara, "Did you talk to Fox? What did he say?"

"I didn't tell him anything about our plan. He thinks we will be staying with him in the basement. Since I didn't tell Mr. Fox where we were going, when Bruce asks, he doesn't have to lie. Then it will be up to Bruce to find out where we are. As for me, it will be easy to find out that I work at Wayne Enterprises. I can't lie about that. Commissioner, is it plausible that you would hire someone to work out a prisoner's finances? It's all mob money, but there is a lot of it."

"This isn't the first time we've had to track down the money the mob has spread around. They like to move it to different locations to make it harder for us to track. Hopefully, Sara, the Joker kept his money in only one or two places. I think that asking the CFO of W.E. to make sense of this is as wise thing to do."

Sara couldn't help but think of Bruce's reaction when this was over.

* * *

When Sara and Ryan didn't turn up at W.E., Bruce went to search for them. They were not at his penthouse, her apartment, or her friend Allison's apartment. To make it worse, Bruce couldn't get a hold of Gordon. Bruce called Alfred to ask if he had heard from them. When his butler said no, Bruce began to panic. Could the Joker's men have them? The thought of something happening to Sara made him physically ill. If they were alive, he had to find them.

"Alfred," Bruce called out. "Can you think of anywhere they could be hiding out?"

"No, Master Bruce. However I believe there is someone who knows for sure."

"Have the jet ready – I am going to the prison. I just hope the Joker is still alive when I get there. He will tell me where they are."

About two minutes later, Alfred told Bruce his jet was gone. "The pilot had two crew members and five guests on board. He filed a flight plan revealing his destination to Clinton County Airport. That's less than a twenty-minute drive to the prison."

"Ok – five passengers: Sara, Ryan, probably Gordon with another officer, and a fifth. Alfred, could you have a jet waiting for me in fifteen minutes?"

"Yes, Sir - I hope you find her."

* * *

The five took separate taxis to the prison: One with Doctors Ross and West, the other with the police officers and Sara. They left about twenty minutes apart. Ryan would tell the prison officials that Gordon, another officer, and a finance expert would arrive momentarily.

When they had all arrived, Dr. Ross and Ryan were in the warden's office bringing Ryan up to speed. When Gordon's entourage arrived, they were quickly moved past the gates to the prison, and led inside. Before entering the ofice, Gordon was asked to give any weapons he had to one of the correctional officers.

"I apologize sir, it is simply a matter of policy." The officer seemed a little embarrased.

"You're just doing your job, son." Gordon exchanged a quick look with Sara as they walked in the wardens's office. As would be expected, the warden was a tall, imposing man.

"Jim – it's good to see you again," said the warden as he stood up to shake Gordon's hand.

"I assume this is officer Reece. You're about to see the darkest side of your job. I doubt you'll ever come across a more diabolical criminal than the Joker. I'm sure Jim has briefed you. The Joker doesn't look very intimidating now, but when he was out on the street he was responsible for taking an untold number of lives – some policemen included. Jim is responsible for the Joker being here. The Commissioner is a hero in the eyes of many, including mine. And Miss, you are here to handle the Joker's estate, correct?"

"Yes, Sir – the Commissioner asked me if I would be willing to sort out the Joker's finances. In other words, find out where he stashed his mob money and then decide what to do with it."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck Miss…"

"West, Sir. Sara West. And yes, Dr. West is my brother. In fact, he suggested that the commissioner bring me along."

"I knew Jim needed someone for the job, and I couldn't think of anyone more qualified than the CFO of Wayne Enterprises." Ryan said proudly.

The warden addressed the group. "I appreciate all of you taking time to see this thing to the end. It has been a long road."

* * *

When Bruce boarded the jet, the pilot told him the flight would be about an hour. Bruce thanked him. Since Bruce was the only passenger, he had his choice of seats. A flight attendant offered him something to drink. It was obvious that she didn't expect Bruce Wayne on this flight. Her surprise almost made her spill his drink. Bruce thanked her for the Pellegrino and went back to his research on the correctional facility. _How did they plan to get into the prison? Most importantly, how would they get near the Joker's Room?_

* * *

Dr. Ross and Dr. Ryan were escorted to a small room adjoining the Joker's room where the two looked over the Joker's medical records. There was a window in the room that allowed the doctors to see the prisoner, but the prisoner could not see them. As Sara was accompanied to the Joker's cell, Gordon promised her that he would stand outside the entire time. Sara took a deep breath and entered the room.


	41. Chapter Forty-One: Goodbye

Chapter Forty-One: Goodbye

Sarah couldn't believe what she saw. In front of her lay a man on a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of monitors and IVs. Without the horrifying make-up, he looked younger than he was – barely older than his late twenties. According to Sara's records, he was only a couple of years older that Bruce, maybe forty-two or forty-three.

The medical staff made sure he was somewhat alert due to the nature of making a will. They had to turn down his morphine and give him oxygen through his nose instead of a mask. He also had a towel nearby in case he coughed up more blood.

The Joker looked confused when Sara walked in.

"Hello, Mr. Napier, I am Sara West. The name might ring a bell since you put a hit out on me a couple of days ago. Do you feel alert enough to discuss your estate?"

"Miss West. If I had known you were so beautiful, I would have thought twice before trying to kill you. You know that you weren't the real target, don't you? You see, Batman and I always had this 'connection.' We were the Yin and Yang of Gotham, so to speak."

"Really, Mr. Napier - who would you label as the serene one and who would be the active one?"

"Seeing that Batman's dead, I guess I'm active - even though that seems like a joke with these wires attached to me." The Joker tried to laugh in his maniacal way, but without the makeup, and with his constant wheezing, he couldn't pull it off. "But you can rest easy. The threat wasn't real. Let's say it was my final joke." HAHA

"Too bad it isn't funny."

"I think it depends on the way you look at things." The joker gave a hint of a smile that Sara found repulsive.

"Let's briefly discuss why I am here. Mr. Napier…"

"Please call me Jack."

"As I was saying, Mr. Napier, I am here for two reasons. The first is to determine how your assets will be handled at the time of your death. The second is your chance to tell me the truth about how you became the Joker. I believe it will bring you some peace at the end." Sara knew he was diabolical and a murderer, but inside he was still a man facing death – the most frightening of the unknown.

Jack looked at Sara like she was kidding. "I will happily go over my 'estate' with you, but I am not going to give you any details of my private life."

"Mr. Napier, I have requested that the sound be turned off in this room due to the confidentiality of the of the discussion. We are still being watched, but not heard. This gives you the freedom to say anything. To start with, you seem to enjoy asking people how you got your scars.' So, let's hear it."

"Well, aren't you the curious one! You do know that some of this information is a part of public record – oh, that record is missing! I wonder how that happened!" HAHAHAHAHAHA…cough, cough.

"If you don't want to tell me, I will continue with the next question."

"Wait – this is fun! Tell me, how do you think I got the scars?

"Your father was an alcoholic, and a terribly mean one at that. Your parents were fighting one day and you spoke up taking your mother's side. You couldn't have known that he was holding a knife, and even if you did, you were only about nine years old. You couldn't possibly overcome your father. Tell me what happened next. I am not writing this down, nor do I have any kind of recording device on my person."

"You say you are here to discuss money and you end up being my shrink? I'm warning you – there are lines you do not cross."

"I'm not a therapist. Like I said, I am giving you the opportunity – just between you and me – to tell the truth about your life. Whatever you say will not leave this room." Sara looked and sounded like an impartial professional on the outside, but inside, she was anything but. The man before her tried to kill the man she loves, and he killed Bruce's best friend whom he planned to marry. In addition, he was mostly responsible for Bruce shutting himself off all those years. Sara would have sympathy for anyone else in his condition, but she had no sympathy whatsoever. As much as she would have liked to hurt this man, considering his current state, there was nothing that could be worse than what he was going through.

"My honesty will bring peace? If only if it was as easy as that! HAHAHAHA! There is no peace for me. I'm not expecting to hear choirs of angels sing, and streets of gold. There will be nothing - nothing."

"Suit yourself, next topic. Do you have a signed will with the signatures of two witnesses?"

"So we are beginning the financial part of the game, now? HAHAHA Too bad – I know you were expecting a very entertaining story. Well, I like to think that I am a compelling subject, so, I am going to tell you exactly what happened, and how I became me. Warning! This is not for the squeamish." Just as he said that he coughed up a blood clot the size of an egg. Like I said, this is not for the squeamish."

"Go ahead." Part of Sara was anxious to hear this story.

"So far you have been fairly accurate, except for one important detail. I knew he had a knife. When I spoke up, my father turned to me and saw the fear in my eyes. He said, 'Why so serious, son? Do you honestly think I will harm your mother? Well, you're right!' The next thing I know my father had stuck the knife between her ribs and right through her heart. I looked at my dead mother lying on the floor and began to cry. My father walked over to me and said, 'There is no reason to be sad! Let's put a SMILE on that face.' I think you know what happened next."

"Did you father stitch you up or did you seek medical help?" To her surprise, Sara did feel some sympathy – not for the Joker, but for little Jack. But, she did not permit one bit of emotion to show on her face.

"Look at these – do they look like the work of a skilled surgeon? HAHAHAHAHA! My father found some fishing line and a needle in the house and began stitching it up himself. As you can see, he did a less than perfect job. It got infected so my father stole antibiotics from the nearest clinic. Do you know he waited a month before he removed my mother's body? I was getting sick from the decomposition, so he finally wrapped her in a sheet and threw her in a dumpster on the other side of town. While he was gone, I packed a few things and ran out of the house."

"Where did you go?"

"I lived on the streets for a while. A few of the homeless shared some food with me, but it only made me sick. Then one bright and shiny day, I caught the eye of a young man who worked for the mob. He introduced me around and told be about the big boss, Carmine Falcone. It turned out I could be useful as an errand boy." The Joker had to take a break because he was having difficulty breathing and was constantly coughing up blood. Sara sat back and waited patiently while the nurse cleaned him up and gave him more oxygen through a mask. His death would come soon. She could not leave without a will signed.

"As so happens, that was the start to a brilliant career. In time, I became part of a team that robbed banks. Once the "bosses" recognized that I had no problem killing, I began doing hit jobs on people. I never thought I was receiving the pay I was due, so I would go on these bank robberies, kill the rest of the team, and keep the money for myself. Don't misunderstand – I don't give a shit about money – I just wanted to piss everyone off. It occurred to me one day - if you are good at something, you should never do it for free. I decided to become an entrepreneur and run my own show. The mob didn't like this - not one bit. I was a valuable asset to them. They didn't want me as an enemy, especially with everything I knew.

"So they roughed me up and said they would kill me if I quit. Being relatively young, this shook me up a little, so I didn't mention it again. One day Carmine Falcone was caught and thrown in prison by a mysterious black-winged vigilante. Since the head guy was out, I became the one his men turned to. They needed the money, and I had it. So I continued to rob banks and kill when necessary (which is a lot more than you would think.) But it was all on my terms. The men became afraid of me. To take advantage of their fear, I gave myself a little make-over. Some new mob guys started to enter the game, but they knew they wouldn't make a dime while I was still alive."

"How did you choose the 'Joker' for your new identity?"

"HAHAHAHAHA! Why do you think? I have a permanent smile on my face! HAHAHA! With a little makeup here and there, I looked insane and deranged. That was the exact impression I desired. You see, I'm not a psychopath, and I'm not crazy. I simply see human beings as they are – out for themselves. If anyone gets in the way, these 'humans,' these 'animals' will eat each other."

Sara interjected, "According to the American Psychological Association, you don't meet all the criteria for a psychopath. I believe you are angry. You let your anger build and build – unchecked – until you convinced yourself, and everyone else, that you are psychotic. The truth is, you are very intelligent, and you can speak and act rationally when you want to. I think your research of sociopathic characteristics increased the mob's fear – they no longer knew if you were on their side. You, of course, were on your own side – plain and simple."

"So, you don't believe that I am mentally unstable? I didn't expect you to be so naïve."

"I didn't say you weren't unstable. I believe you didn't start that way. I have discussed your situation in-depth with two different psychiatrists – leaving out some details to keep this as hypothetical as possible. Both believe that the one thing that gives you away is your ability to show sympathy. I don't mean this in a 'bring dinner to a sick neighbor' way. I mean that you show loyalty and_ a _general bond with another. Even, although limited, a concern for the feelings of others. Well, make that one other. You have admitted that you believe you have an unusual connection to Batman – as if he understands you like no one else. Do you agree that there is truth to what I just described?"

"I think Batman and I are two sides of the same coin, if that's what you mean. However, I never had a problem with hurting him when he got in my way."

_"_Was there a specific event that was the main catalyst for the 'Joker.'?" Sara was afraid of what she might hear, so she prepared herself for the worst. Surprisingly, it turned out to be unnecessary.

"I don't care how much you promise confidentiality. There are things you will never know." It seemed like a switch was flipped. His "fun" had stopped.

"I don't have a will. I have no family, and no money. I just want to be buried in a grave in Gotham Cemetery."

"I didn't think you had a legal will, so I had one drawn up for you with the help of a lawyer. You have lived 'off the grid' for all of your adult life. You lived in abandoned homes or empty buildings, meaning you never paid rent or utilities. However, you do have money. According to the testimony of several ex-mob members currently in prison and others on parole, you managed to steal and get away with a little over one and a half million dollars. Again, this is either money paid to you 'under the table' or it was stolen. Either way, it is illegal and has not been reported and taxed by the government. Personally, I am not a huge proponent of the current tax system, but it is what it is and we have to legally work within it."

Sara took some papers from her briefcase and explained them to the Joker. "This first document is naming me, Sara West, as the Executrix of your will. This gives me the legal responsibility to make sure that any debts, including unpaid taxes, etc. are paid for by your estate. I will also make sure the heirs of your will are legally acknowledged and receive their portion of your estate as you have stated in your will. You will have to sign and date this. Please sign all forms as 'Jack Napier.'"

"Mr. Napier, you may not have family, but you do have assets. In your will you must account for the full amount of money in your possession. You will provide the exact location(s) of this money. Due to its illegal nature, this money is to become the property of the GCPD in care of Commissioner James Gordon. He will work with the government about how to legally dispose of the money. Is there anything you wish to add to your will?"

"Apparently, I'm out of dough, so there is nothing left for anyone." The Joker thought for a second. "How will my burial be paid for?"

"If the probate court decides to use the money in your possession – and this is highly unlikely – it will be paid by your 'estate.' The most likely scenario is that your burial will need to be paid by individual donors. I can't imagine too many people willing to give to this fund, but we can open one anyway."

The door opened to the room and Dr. Ross and Ryan entered.

"I see that you need witnesses to sign this will." Dr. Ross signed as the first witness directly following the Joker's signature. Ryan signed as the second witness. According to the state law, no notary was needed. As Executrix, Sara would submit the will to probate court. The will was very simple: he had no family or beneficiaries, and all his assets were illegal and were to be turned in to the authorities. He requested a simple burial with no religious affiliation or symbols, and he wished to be placed in a pine box in Gotham Cemetery.

Once the paperwork was legalized, Ryan motioned for Sara to meet him in the hallway.

Ryan spoke softly. "He will not survive the next few hours. Dr. Ross and I looked over all the diagnostic and treatment records. Dr. Ross is now giving the Joker a final physical examination to give his doctors a more realistic estimate of his death. Did you get any information on the death threat?"

"I'm glad you asked. It turns out that it was the Joker's last 'joke.'"

"Hilarious. Do you have all the legal documents you need?"

"Yes – all paperwork is signed and legal. I guess this is it. If Dr. Ross is finished, I want to speak to Mr. Napier one last time."

Sara entered the room and sat in the chair she had occupied for the last hour. The Joker hoped she would return. There was something he needed to tell her.

He could barely speak as his lungs filled with fluid, and each cough came with the sound of a snapping rib. His heart rate and blood pressure were plummeting, but he needed to try to communicate.

"Sara – the mob – they killed my wife. She was, (pausing to catch what little breath he had left), pregnant." Tears formed in his eyes. "I know I made a choice to become _this_."

And with the Joker's final breath he said, "Tell him I'm sorry." Then he was gone.

* * *

The five of them walked out of the prison together. Sara saw Bruce standing by a taxi where he was waiting for her.

"Sara! Are you ok?" Bruce grabbed Sara tightly in his arms.

"I'm ok – the death threat was fake. I also had him sign a will with Ryan and Dr. Ross as witnesses. I am to execute the estate, which only consists of mob money that will be turned over to the GCPD. Tomorrow I will bring the will to probate court. He doesn't have family or any other assets, so my job will be easy."

Sara looked wearily into Bruce's eyes. "I'm exhausted. Will you take me home now?"

Bruce helped Sara into the cab, and before long they were flying back to Gotham.

After they dropped off Ryan at Sara's apartment, she and Bruce went to the Manor. To say that Alfred was delighted to see them was an understatement. Bruce filled him in on what happened at the prison while Sara went upstairs to take a shower.

"I believe I said to you once before, Master Bruce, that Sara is not one to be underestimated."

"You couldn't have been more right. Part of me is angry that she took such a big chance. But she had good people with her, and I'm sure she gave the Joker no choice but to do the right thing and sign the will."

"I'm sure you are correct, Master Bruce. Now if you will excuse me I believe I will retire for the evening."

When Bruce entered the bedroom, Sara was already in bed in some warm pajamas. She had damp hair because she was too tired to dry it. When Bruce crawled in with her, he kissed her and she moved to rest her head on his chest.

They stayed quiet for a while until Bruce broke the silence.

"You stole my plane."

They both laughed at the absurdity of the statement.

Then Sara said mischievously, "You should see what I steal tomorrow…"


	42. Chapter Forty-Two: Epilogue

Chapter Forty-Two: A Little Older A Little Wiser: Epilogue

Sara woke up late to discover that Bruce was already up and gone. She walked downstairs to the kitchen to find Alfred.

"Good morning, Miss Sara. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did. In fact, I might have slept too well – I can't believe it is almost 12:00pm."

"You had an exhausting day yesterday, Miss. And believe me when I say that you are nowhere near the record for sleeping late in this house." Alfred smiled at Sara, and she knew exactly what he meant.

"Speaking of Bruce, have you seen him?"

"Yes, ma'am – he said he was going on a walk to clear his head. I know he spoke to the late Miss Rachel's mother this morning. I'm afraid that was a difficult conversation, but he didn't want her to hear of the Joker's death in the news. Unfortunately, his death won't bring Miss Rachel back, but it is comforting to know that no one else will suffer at his hand."

"It sounds like Bruce needs some time alone. I think I will call Mr. Fox and go into the office for a few hours after I drop off this will to probate."

"When Master Bruce returns I will let him know where you are."

"Thank you, Alfred. I hope my secretary recognizes me after my long absence!"

* * *

Sara walked into Wayne Enterprises, and went directly to Mr. Fox's office.

"Miss West – it is wonderful to see you!" Lucius took Sara's hand to welcome her as she sat down.

"You have no idea how nice it is to see you," Sara said as she smiled warmly at Mr. Fox. "I apologize for putting you into an awkward position yesterday. I hope you didn't receive the third degree from Mr. Wayne."

Mr. Fox smiled. "When I admitted to Bruce that you and Ryan would not be coming here, he left immediately. No questions – he knew where he was going."

"He was a little surprised that I used his plane, but I knew that there would be no obstacle in renting another one for a few hours."

Mr. Fox laughed. "I think Mr. Wayne will find you to be a handful. It is oddly ironic. For years Alfred and I had to keep track of him 24/7. The shoe is officially on the other foot."

When Sara sat down in her office she almost had a panic attack. The work that piled up in her absence was overwhelming. When she checked her computer for the financial statements produced while she was gone, she was glad to see that everything seemed sound. But to be properly up to date, Sara would need a meeting with her staff to go over them.

Sara called Mr. Fox. "Hello Mr. Fox, this Sara West. I hope I'm not bothering you but I have some questions. I just walked into my office and there are small skyscrapers on my desk of work to be done. Are there any priorities I need to address right away?"

"Actually, I placed a few folders in your left hand drawer filed under 'fundraising.' These are sensitive documents that clearly do not belong in that category. I would appreciate it if you took these folders home with you to read instead of reading them in the office. Tomorrow you will have many questions for me and Mr. Wayne, so my secretary has booked the conference room all day. Please do not take them out of the drawer until you are ready to leave." Mr. Fox's voice was quite somber.

"I understand completely. Other than the files I am to look over later, is there anything else I need to tend to while I am here?"

"I don't believe anything has precedence over the work I have already explained to you. In fact, the sooner you are home and can begin reading the better."

"My brother has a late flight back to Atlanta tonight, and I want to spend some time with him before he has to leave. There are a few matters we need to discuss." Sara was not looking forward to speaking with Ryan. She wanted to see a dramatic change in his attitude toward Bruce.

* * *

Sara drove back to Wayne Manor, greeted by silence. She walked to the back porch and saw Bruce sitting still on a bench. Bruce must have heard her car pull in the driveway. He motioned for her to join him.

"You went to the office today?"

"I had to see what was waiting for me when I went back to work tomorrow. Mr. Fox wants me to look at some documents before meeting with the two of you. I have to say that I missed the freedom of going to work to or my apartment without constantly looking over my shoulder. Oh - I need to pack up my things here and bring them to my apartment. Also, Ryan is leaving tonight and we need to talk." Sara snuggled closer to Bruce.

Bruce looked sullen – even more than usual.

"You're not staying here? I thought we would keep the same situation."

"Bruce, I'm not moving out of my apartment and into Wayne Manor – not yet, anyway. I thought I was here because of special circumstances."

"I guess I expected you to continue to live here. Are you going to stay at your apartment until the wedding?" Bruce was getting a little agitated. Sara sensed an argument was coming, but she had no idea why.

"Bruce, I'm sorry if I led you to believe that. I lived in my apartment when we started dating and continued to do so after we became engaged. What is so different now?"

"I'm used to us being together all the time. That's why I want to marry you. I want to share a home with you and have you near me." Bruce closed the distance between them to give Sara a passionate and adoring kiss. "Don't you want to live with me?"

"I want to spend my entire life living with you! And I want it special and different from simply living with each other. We are together most nights of the week, and we don't leave each other until morning. When I officially move into Wayne Manor I want to be Mrs. Bruce Wayne." Sara looked at him lovingly, but her fiancé was still unhappy.

"I know what this is. If you told me you were planning to see the Joker, I would have done anything to stop you. He was a sick, deranged man and I didn't want you near him. But you saw him anyway. And I knew that when you saw him you would see me, too. The way I was – a monster." Bruce's voice began to rise. "He ruined my life. Now you have seen who was haunting me all those years. I pictured Rachel dying over and over. I thought about it almost every day. I held on to the hope that if she had lived, she and I would be together when Batman retired. It wasn't until Alfred told me that she wrote a letter saying she couldn't be with me because of who I was. She didn't believe I would ever retire. My world had shattered. Alfred left, but he thankfully came back when I returned from Europe."

"This was when Bane entered the picture, wasn't it? You came out of retirement because your city needed Batman. I think Rachel would have been proud of you. I still remember watching TV and seeing your plane explode. All I could think was 'Why? Why would a man do that?' Now I know you and the reasons behind everything you did."

Sara waited until they had complete eye contact. "I want you to hear me: I didn't see Batman or you when I looked at the Joker. I saw a sick man who had an undeniably horrific start in life. But unlike the boy he was, he became a grown man. When you are an adult you are responsible for your own decisions. You decided to protect, and he decided to harm. Those are two very different paths. I didn't want you to go with me. I believed, and I still do, that the pain and anger would be too much for you to take. I wanted to get in there, do my job, and get out. The money he stole can, hopefully, be used to help people. And he will never hurt anyone again - including you. I want you to feel free of him." Sara wiped the tears off her face with her hands. "You deserve to finally be free."

Bruce fell sobbing into Sara's arms. All of the anger, all the guilt and sorrow, was leaving him through his tears. After a while, they went back to the Manor and crawled underneath the blankets on his bed. Bruce and Sara looked at each other for several minutes, and then Bruce couldn't wait any longer. As they were removing each other's clothes, they both realized how long it had been since they made love. At first it seemed like they were trying to overcome feelings of fear and frustration from the last few days. Their love-making then slowed down as their bodies' found a more gentle rhythm. Neither of them said a word. They just touched and kissed each other gently. But the gentleness became the 'calm before the storm.' Each thrust was harder and faster than the one before. Sara fought the feeling rising inside of her until she had to let go. Hearing Sara cry out with her release, Bruce allowed himself to climax.

As they lay together, each trying to catch his or her breath, Bruce whispered to Sara, "So what do you plan to steal?"

"Maybe 'steal' is too strong a word. Let's say 'borrow' instead."

"Ok, what would you like to borrow?"

"I want to drive your car."

Bruce laughed. "Is that all? You created all this mystery to drive one of my cars? Is it the Lamborghini? I just had it detailed so it's ready to go. Or do you want to drive the Porsche? Whatever you would like – what's mine is yours.

Sara couldn't stifle her amusement.

"What's so funny?"

"Bruce, I want to drive your car - as in your CAR."

Sara heard Bruce gulp.

"Um, I will have to clear it with Mr. Fox."

"Do you have any objections about me driving the Tumbler?"

"No, no – I'm sure it will be fine."

"You are such a liar. You are afraid I'm going to break your toy, aren't you?" Sara crawled on top of him and laughed.

"Just so you know I happen to trust you implicitly. When do you want to do it?"

"It's getting a little late now, so how about tomorrow? We can get there early before everyone starts to show up."

"Sounds like a plan. Oh - sorry to change the subject, but are you on top of me for any special reason?"

"The best reason," Sarah said while they became one.

"Oh, Sara – let's get married tomorrow…"


End file.
